How should you respond to a tire blowout?

• A. Keep a firm grip on the wheel, ease off the accelerator, and steer to a safe area; then pull over.
• B. Slam on the brakes immediately.
• C. Continue driving at the same speed.
• D. Turn on hazard lights and continue driving slowly.

Answer: (A)

When a tire blows out, the priority is to maintain control and move the vehicle to a safe area. A blown tire can yank the car to one side and make steering tricky, so keep a firm grip on the wheel to counter the pull and avoid overcorrecting. Do not slam on the brakes; instead, ease off the accelerator gradually to slow down in a controlled way. Steer smoothly toward a safe area such as the shoulder, staying alert for traffic as you move off the road. Once stopped in a safe location, turn on your hazard lights to warn others. Continuing to drive with a blown tire is dangerous because you still have reduced control and traction.