You are driving on a straight level highway at 50 mph with no vehicles in front of you when a tire blows. What should you do?

You are driving on a straight level highway at 50 mph with no vehicles in front of you when a tire blows. What should you do?

• A. Brake hard to stop quickly
• B. Swerve to the shoulder immediately
• C. Stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed
• D. Turn the wheel to the left and accelerate

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is to maintain control after a blowout and avoid actions that can make you lose control. When a tire suddenly goes flat, your steering can become unpredictable and your braking can push the car toward the flat tire. So the safer move is to keep a firm grip on the wheel, stay in your lane, and avoid braking immediately. Easing off the accelerator lets the car slow gradually without destabilizing the vehicle. Once you’ve slowed to a safer speed and you feel you can stop smoothly, apply gentle braking to pull over to the shoulder or a safe area. The other options are risky: braking hard can cause a skid or loss of control, swerving to the shoulder can lead you off the road or into another lane, and turning and accelerating worsens the blowout situation.

The main idea here is to maintain control after a blowout and avoid actions that can make you lose control. When a tire suddenly goes flat, your steering can become unpredictable and your braking can push the car toward the flat tire. So the safer move is to keep a firm grip on the wheel, stay in your lane, and avoid braking immediately. Easing off the accelerator lets the car slow gradually without destabilizing the vehicle. Once you’ve slowed to a safer speed and you feel you can stop smoothly, apply gentle braking to pull over to the shoulder or a safe area. The other options are risky: braking hard can cause a skid or loss of control, swerving to the shoulder can lead you off the road or into another lane, and turning and accelerating worsens the blowout situation.