Tire blowouts aren't common but could be fatal. What to do if it happens to you

If you hear a loud pop while you're driving and your car starts violently jerking to the left or right, it probably means you're experiencing a tire blowout.

Tire blowouts aren't too common, but they can be fatal, said Battery and External Training Specialist at AAA of Western and Central New York Bryan Jajkowski.

Three people died in a fatal crash caused by an issue with the rear passenger tire last week in Wayland, Steuben County. Two of the deaths were a pregnant woman and her baby that was urgently delivered after the accident.

There were 535 drivers involved in fatal crashes related to tire blowouts or flat tires between 2017 and 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"Tires now, if they're maintained properly, you don't see failures of this type that happen very often," Jajkowski said. "Sometimes blowouts are just bad luck."

What to do when your tire blows out

The best action drivers can take when experiencing a tire blowout is staying calm, according to Firestone Complete Auto Care.

And the worst thing, Firestone instructs, is to hit the brakes.

But why?

"If you automatically put your foot on the brake pedal and you have wheels locking up and you have a tire that is blown out, that tire obviously doesn't have the braking power that an inflated tire does, which can cause a car to lose control," Jajkowski said.

Here's what else you should do immediately after you hear that initial pop:

• Although you'll feel the car pull to one side, grip the wheel firmly with both hands and try to keep the vehicle going straight.

• At first, gently press the gas pedal because slight acceleration can help you regain control of the vehicle, Firestone said, but then turn on your emergency lights and allow the car to slow itself.

• Once your vehicle's speed drops below 30 miles-per-hour, gently step on the brakes and turn the steering wheel slowly to guide the car off the road and call for help once you are safely out of traffic's way.

How to prevent tire blowouts

Taking care of your tires is the top priority, Jajkowski said. Temperature changes cause fluctuations in your tire's air pressure, so making sure they're properly inflated will minimize the chances of a tire blowout.

Reduced tread depth can also lead to problems. Most new passenger car tires have 12/32nds of tread, Jajkowski said, but when your tires' tread falls under 6/32nds, drivers have at least a 50% higher chance of failure.

"The less tread you have on a tire, the less resistant it is to being punctured," he said.

And keep an eye on the age of your tires. "The older the tire gets, the more brittle the rubber gets," Jajkowski said. "And the more brittle the rubber gets, the more prone it is to failure."

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Emily Barnes is the New York State Team Consumer Advocate Reporter for the USA Today Network. Contact Emily at ebarnes@gannett.com or on Twitter @byemilybarnes. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: What to do if you have a tire blowout while driving