Let’s face it, most airplane accidents are found to be pilot error. This holds true for driving accidents; pilot error. Even those accidents that occur due to some mechanical failure and subsequent driver reaction may boil down to ultimately ‘driver error’.
Drive Through a Tire Blowout on Highway
One such incident is the experience of having a tire blowout when traveling at high speed, let’s say over 65 mph. One would expect that high speeds and the induced heat and stress as well as road hazards to contribute to tire failure. The reality that tire can explode at any point in our transition from A to B, even on smooth roads at urban speeds. One thing to keep in mind is that you will have to ‘drive through the blowout’. When a tire blows and deflates rolling resistance increases pulling the car to the side where the blowout occurred. Keep a firm grip on the wheel and travel as straight as you can as you slow down (that’s why they stress you drive with both hands on the wheel), the important thing to maintain control of the vehicle and strive to remain calm and relaxed as this will improve your cognitive (thinking) abilities, a positive result. Driving through a blowout:
• Don’t brake, though it probably is your first instinct, fight it. Braking will only decrease your control over the vehicle.
• Slow down ‘slowly’, let the rolling resistance of the car slow your speed while maintaining steerage in as straight line as possible in your lane.
• Get off the road. You don’t want to be immobile on a highway, this is just begging for disaster. Use your emergency flashers. If you are on a highway and the flat is on the driver’s side stay as far right as possible. It is a daunting experience to change a tire with a semi-truck and trailer whizzing past you at 70 mph or more with little more than 6 feet of clearance.
How to Prevent a Flat Tire or Blowout
As in all things, avoidance is better than enduring the experience. You will want to get in the habit of checking your tires every day.
• You’re looking for things like blisters, bubbles and deep cracks. Older tires will start to develop ‘dry rot’ which is the weathering break town of the tire’s components.
• You will want to avoid overloading your vehicle.
• Check your tire pressure, at least once a week. Although tires are marvels at maintaining pressure over long periods of time, they all leak air to some extent.
• Once a month check your tread wear. A rule of thumb is that the tread should be deep enough to reach the top of Lincoln’s head if you insert an upside-down penny into the tread groove. Any less and its new tire time.
Your safety and that of your loved one’s ride on those tires. Make sure it is a safe ride by keeping up on your tires condition.
Towing & Roadside Assistance in Summerlin, North LV, Henderson, Enterprise, Paradise, Sunrise Manor, Spring Valley, Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Green Valley Ranch, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, Peccole Ranch, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas, Nevada
Also keep up on your brakes and their condition, when it comes to brakes it is cheaper to take care of the problem early instead of waiting for extended wear to aggravate the problem. Your tires and brakes are critical components in maintaining your driving safety. They are also consumables that break down under usage as is expected. If your car does breakdown or you need a tow or roadside assistance for any other reason; call NonStop Towing!
