You are driving on a highway at high speed there is nothing more potentially dangerous than a sudden tyre burst on the road. So, how do you handle a tyre burst? Why tyre burst or bursts happen? Or how to prevent them in the first place? Here’s everything you need to know about a tyre burst. With the continuous improvement in tyre technology, tyre bursts are becoming a rare occurrence. Still, when they do happen it's best that you know what to do.

What does a tyre burst feel like?

When you’re driving, and you encounter a burst needless to say, you will hear the sound of explosion, a whoosh in the air and the blown out tyre flapping over the road. If the front tyre blows out you will feel the vehicle pulling to the left or right depending on which tyre exploded and if the rear tyre blows out, you might feel the rear of the vehicle sway back and forth.

What are the causes of tyre bursts?

One reason a tyre could burst out is because of its age. Aging tyres can be potentially fatal, even for an experienced motorist. Tyre age has therefore been one of the most important aspects of tyre care. Tyre is made up of rubber, silica, carbon black and over 200 other components. And over time those components and compounds degrade, don’t interact and are not as pliable as they used to be. This makes the tyre more prone to breaking down. Besides the tyre age, majority of the bursts are caused due to under inflation. An under inflated tyre will bulge out under your car’s weight causing it to bounce up and down when driven at high speed. This causes high friction which in turn overheats the tyres and eventually leads to its bursting.

Why do tyres burst in summer?

Bursts are more likely to happen during the hotter months. The simple reason is heat increases the internal pressure of the tyres causing them to expand. Due to this expansion the friction and the stress on the tyre increases. Moreover, the hot weather combined with longer trips, heavy loads and faster speeds adds to the stress on the tyre causing it to blow out.

What to do if you suffer a tyre burst?

Now if you are in an unfortunate situation where you face a tyre burst remember you are going to have very little control on your vehicle and you got to maintain that little control you have. Normally, if your tyre bursts, your sudden instinct is to slam those brakes. But this response is wrong. Because, if you slam on the brakes it will upset your car’s balance and might send your car into a skid causing you to lose the little control that you had over your car. Hence, the key is to keep cool, not panic and follow the below steps

• Accelerate slightly to maintain control of the car and keep going straight.
• Hold the steering firmly with both the hands.
• Ease off the accelerator slowly once your car is back into line.
• Now when your car has slowed down you can apply minimal brakes if needed and pull the car off to the side of the road.
• Call a professional nearby tyre repair center for help.

The most important thing to remember here is to maintain the vehicle’s stability. If you over steer or jerk the steering wheel in an attempt to force the car in the direction you want to go, it will result in a roll over. So, it’s necessary to pull the vehicle off the road with the mildest steering inputs possible.            

How to avoid bursts?

The best way to avoid devastating consequences when driving is to take a minute and inspect your tyres before hitting the road. Look out for burst warning signs such as presence of foreign objects like a nail, aging or other damages. Your tyres might look perfect to you from the outside but, they could be suffering from severe damage. It’s recommended to always get those tyres checked by a tyre expert and carry out professional tyre repair to be safe on the road. With proper tyre maintenance you can avoid sudden tyre bursts. Monitoring the tyre pressure, rotating the tyres periodically to avoid uneven wearing, checking for leakages, measuring the tread depth, inspecting the wear and tear, routine wheel alignment and wheel balancing are essential tyre services that have to be a part of your routine tyres and car maintenance. Along with these tyre maintenance services incorporating good driving habits can prove to be instrumental in preventing a tyre burst. Changing your tyres after 10 years of use and getting them inspected from an expert annually after 5 years of use can help too.

Most modern cars now have Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). Make use of it.  Modern tyres from leading brands are manufactured with breakthrough technology providing high reliability and are capable of withstanding risky situations on the road. Hence, ensure you always get your vehicle fitted with good quality tyres from a trusted brand for enhanced safety.