Tire blowouts may be one of the most frightening things a trucker can experience while out on the road. They can happen suddenly and require quick and decisive action to avoid losing control.

Keep reading to find out what to do during a tire blowout so that you and those around you come out unscathed.

What Not To Do

Before we get into the three steps to get out of a blown tire, you should know what not to do. Once a tire explodes, the truck will begin to pull towards the side with the blown tire.

Instinct will kick in, and you will be tempted to overcorrect by turning the wheel in the opposite direction and applying the brakes or letting go of the gas. However, this combination of overcorrecting and pressing on the brakes often leads to a loss of control.

In short, do not press on the brakes or let go of the accelerator, and don’t overcorrect the steering wheel.

1. Apply Full Throttle

This may seem counterintuitive, but when a tire blows out, you’ll need to apply full throttle. This works because you have all the other tires overpowering the blown tire.

When a tire blows out, it will start pulling the truck with a small force to the exploded tire’s direction. However, most of the power of the truck is still going in a straight path.

The net outcome is that the truck will begin steering slightly left or right, depending on which side the blowout happened.

If you apply the throttle, you’re putting more force into the forward direction, overpowering the blown tire, and keeping it from veering off. If you slow down, there’s less forward momentum, and the pull of the blown tire becomes stronger — leading to a loss of control.

2. Correct The Steering

Of course, acceleration alone won’t keep the truck going in a straight line. You’ll need to correct the steering, but there shouldn’t be any overcorrection.

This isn’t as difficult as it sounds because the full-throttle will do most of the work. You’ll only need to correct gently and make sure that the truck isn’t drifting into any other lanes.

3. Slow and Pull Over After Gaining Control

Once you’ve gained control of the truck, you can then decelerate slowly and pull over when you need to. Remember not to decelerate quickly but to do so in a calm and controlled matter.

Be Prepared Every Time

These three rules apply to any tire blowout, whether it’s a steer, drive, or trailer tire. A steer tire blowout will feel worse than a drive or trailer tire blowout, but the steps remain the same for any tire.

One of the best ways to prevent a tire blowout is by keeping your tires at the right pressure. Underinflation is the leading cause of tire blowouts because excessive heat from an underinflated tire leads to the sidewall giving out.

However, there are still hazards on the road that can cause tires to suddenly de-inflate.

In any case, you will be prepared for any tire blowout as long as you keep calm and remember these three simple steps.