How should you handle a tire blowout?

Handling a tire blowout effectively is crucial for maintaining control of your vehicle and ensuring your safety. The correct approach is to keep a firm grip on the wheel and gradually slow down. When a tire blows out, it can create a sudden loss of control; therefore, keeping a strong hold on the steering wheel helps you manage the vehicle's movements and prevent swerving or overcorrecting, which can lead to further instability.

Gradually slowing down allows you to reduce speed safely without engaging in abrupt maneuvers that could exacerbate the situation. This method gives you the opportunity to steer the vehicle to a safe location, like the shoulder of the road, where you can stop and assess the damage.

In contrast, immediately braking hard can lead to losing control, while swerving could result in dangerous maneuvers that might cause accidents with other vehicles or obstacles. Shifting into neutral does not provide effective control in a blowout and can make it difficult to steer. Thus, maintaining a grip and decelerating smoothly is the most effective and safest response.