How to handle a flat tire while driving
When a tire blows out, people's basic reflex is often to step on the brakes or turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction because they see the car tilting. However, this action makes the unbalanced car situation worse...
When driving on the road, the risk of a sudden tire explosion is always lurking. So, what should you do to limit this situation from happening and how to handle it when your tire suddenly explodes at high speed?
First, we need to determine the cause of tire explosion, to minimize the worst possible situation. Unexpected tire explosion on the road is due to 4 reasons:
Underinflated tire
This is the main cause of tire explosions. According to the operating principle of the vehicle, the air pressure in the tire is responsible for supporting the entire weight of the vehicle and the weight of passengers and luggage. Tires with insufficient air pressure mean that the tire has to take on more "responsibilities", causing the tire's components such as steel wire, rubber, tire tread and tire bead to work beyond their capacity. In addition, when there is a lack of air, the tire will not be cooled enough, plus the friction area between the tire and the road surface increases, causing overheating and explosion.
To limit the risk of low air pressure, you should regularly check your tires with a handheld pressure gauge or you can install a tire pressure sensor to continuously monitor the air in the tire. When pumping your tires, you also need to follow the pressure specifications, which are usually posted behind the driver's door.
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Overloaded
This is an eternal “problem” of trucks in Vietnam. Overloading accidentally puts the tires in a state of “maximum load limit”, at that time, the heat generated during friction with the road surface and having to go through bumpy roads will cause the tire’s endurance to exceed its limit, leading to the inevitable tire explosion.
Fall into a pothole
This is what will “kill” your tire immediately and in severe cases it can destroy the rim. Falling into a pothole at low speed will only cause you discomfort but at high speed, the pressure from the road surface will break the tire, crack the rim and worse, break the shock absorber.
If you are riding a sports car with large rims, it means that the thickness of the tire wall will be very thin, so just hitting small bumps or rocks at high speed, the tire will most likely explode immediately. Therefore, you should not drive at moderate speed if you are not familiar with the road and when visibility is limited, the holes will be very difficult to detect at a distance, especially when you move too fast.
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Tires are too old
According to manufacturers' recommendations, tires should be replaced after 50,000 km and depending on road conditions, if you often travel on bad roads, you should replace them after 40,000 km or no more than 5 years from the date of manufacture regardless of whether the tire has been used less than recommended. If you let the tire get too old, it will wear to the limit and when moving at high speed, factors such as temperature, pressure, and load capacity will destroy your tire.
What to do when a tire blows out
To determine if a tire has blown out, you only need to listen to the following three sounds: first is a very loud bang, due to the tire being destroyed by pressure, then a very strong sound of air escaping and finally the "phịch phịch" sound of the rubber rubbing against the road surface. In other cases, if the tire is completely "blown away", you will hear the sound of metal (wheel) rubbing against the road. So how should we act to avoid losing control or crashing into another vehicle?
When a tire blows out, people's basic reflex is often to brake or turn the steering wheel in the opposite direction because they see the car tilting. However, this action makes the unbalanced car worse. Try to resist the instinct to not brake, just let go of the accelerator and keep the steering wheel straight. When the car is unbalanced, systems like ESP and EBD will intervene immediately to support you, so if you have additional operations, it will be very difficult for the ECU to handle the situation. When you see that the car is stable, slowly apply the brakes and pull the car to the side of the road.
Dealing with a flat tire seems “simple” but because this phenomenon occurs unexpectedly, the driver must be really calm. Always check the tires regularly, replace them when the time is near and drive at a moderate speed to help you avoid risks.