04/02/2023
What to do when your tyre explodes at high speed
A burst tyre when travelling over 100km/h can be a frightening experience and a security risk to the driver and surrounding cars.
Here are six useful tips.
Anyone who has ever experienced the shock of a burst tyre while travelling at a relatively high speed, will relate to this article. With our unacceptably high road accident fatalities over the festive season, this is one article to take note of.
“In most cases the cause is an unattended puncture,” said Dewald Ranft, chairman of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA), a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI).
Sometimes you are lucky enough to detect the puncture early and can fix it, but this is not always the case.
Dewald received these six useful tips from the Cornerstone Youth Club in Bloemfontein on how to stop a car safely when one of the tyres explodes at a speed exceeding 100km/h.
• Step 1 – Stay Calm
When a tyre explodes try to stay as calm as possible and hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands.
• Step 2 – Watch the brakes
It’s most important to keep your foot off the brakes and don’t push it at all. Most people’s natural instinct is to slam on brakes; however this is the worst thing to do as it will throw the car off balance and could send you into a spin where the driver loses control of the vehicle completely.
• Step 3 – Try and keep your vehicle going straight
You need to focus on your steering to ensure that you continue travelling straight in order to avoid any collisions following the blowout. Your car will swerve in the direction of the blowout but you should be able to remain in control if you can gradually slow down. Remember the deceleration force caused by the burst tyre will cause your car to slow down rapidly so it is best to maintain your speed and then gradually ease off the accelerator.
• Step 4 – What to do with the gears
If your car has a manual transmission, gradually change to a lower gear BUT ONLY do so if you feel that the car is completely under control.
If your car has an automatic transmission, stay in the Drive (D) gear and DO NOT change. The drag from the exploded tyre will slow you down.
• Step 5 – Do not over-correct
When you first feel the swerve of your car after the blowout, it may be tempting to panic and turn the steering wheel hard in the other direction. Unfortunately, this will only make the loss of control more likely. Rather do your best to keep it straight as detailed in the previous step.
• Step 6 – Let your vehicle coast to a stop
Let your vehicle come to a gradual stop, using engine braking if necessary. First ensure it is safe for you and your car to stop there, and once you have come to a complete standstill turn on your emergency or hazard lights. Generally when the speed drops to 50km/h, you can gently press the brakes until the car stops.
“We urge all motorists to take these steps seriously, and try to familiarise themselves with the various stages so that they and others on the road are more likely to survive a blowout unscathed. It is also so important to stick to the speed limit in case of any unforeseen emergencies,” concluded Dewald.
