When a tire blows on a straight highway, which action should you take to maintain control?

• A. Brake immediately to stop.
• B. Stay off the brake until the vehicle has slowed.
• C. Turn sharply away from traffic.
• D. Swerve onto the shoulder.

Answer: (B)

When a tire blows, your main goal is to keep the vehicle under control by avoiding abrupt braking or sharp steering. A blown tire can cause the car to pull to one side and make steering unpredictable, and hard braking can lead to a loss of control. The safest approach is to stay off the brakes, keep a firm grip on the wheel, and ease off the accelerator so the car slows gradually. Hold the vehicle straight and steer only as needed to keep in your lane. When it’s safely slowed, signal, check twice, and steer smoothly toward the shoulder to stop. After you’re stopped, you can brake gently to finish coming to a stop if needed.