General Knowledge · Driving Emergencies
What should a driver do immediately after a tire blowout?
1.Hold the wheel firmly, stay off the brake at first, and let the vehicle slow gradually before easing off the roadCorrect answer
2.Brake hard immediately to bring the vehicle to a stop as quickly as it can possibly be brought to a halt on the shoulder
3.Release the steering wheel and let the vehicle straighten itself out on its own as it slows itself right down to a stop
4.Accelerate briefly to maintain control of the vehicle until it settles back down onto whichever tires still remain
Explanation
After a blowout, the correct response is to hold the wheel firmly, avoid braking at first, and let the vehicle slow down gradually before easing off the road, since braking hard right after a blowout can throw the vehicle out of control. 49 CFR 383.111(a)(14)(v) names blowouts as required knowledge without stating the procedure, so this is standard driver-training content, attributed to the manual. The wrong options each add instability at the worst possible moment: hard braking can cause a skid or loss of control, releasing the wheel gives up the steering input that is needed most, and accelerating adds speed to an already destabilized vehicle.
Source: 49 CFR 383.111(a)(14)(v)
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