By: Taranjit | Last Updated: August 3, 2020
Did you know that the average driver will experience up to 5 flat tires in their life, and in the U.S. alone, 7 tires are punctured every second! That’s 220 million flat tires a year.
That is crazy, but not at the same time.
If you really think about it, there are a lot of people in this country. And as a result, there are a lot of cars in this country. So is 7 flat tires a second a considerably low number percentage wise in relation to the number of cars in the U.S.? I wonder if we get more tire punctures than other countries.
In order to not become a part of this statistic, check your tires before going on any road trip, short or long. This was something we were not smart enough to do before our 13+ hour drive down to Georgia. I can’t even believe we made it as far as we did with without our tires losing air, but thank God nothing serious happened.
What causes a tire blowout?
1. Improperly inflated tires
Driving with underinflated tires at high speeds is one way to increase your chances of a tire blowout. Many of the blowouts that happen have been found to be linked to driving on underinflated tires at high speeds. This is why it is important that you do a quick walk around before you take off in your car.
It will save you the trouble of losing a tire while on the road or any other disaster.
If a daily walk around is too much of an inconvenience for you (even though it doesn’t take more than a few seconds), at a minimum, check your tire pressure at least once a month. This can help you avoid driving on underinflated tires or getting a flat. Luckily, nowadays, cars have lights that appear on your dash to warn you of change in tire pressure, but a change in temperature can also cause that light to come on, too. So, it is still best practice to do a quick check before you hit the road.
2. Age and wear
Driving on worn tires or tires that are cracked is dangerous. Not only could you pop the tire while driving, it can also cause significant damage to your car and its rims. And you don’t want that. So save yourself the trouble and money by simply inspecting your tires before you hit to road (or every so often, if daily is too much for you).
Prevention is the best approach to avoid tire blowouts. It is always better to stop something from happening than deal with it after it’s too late.
What does it sound like when your tire blows out?
There are 3 sounds that are typically associated with a tire blowout:
1. Loud Boom
The first sound you may hear is a loud pop or boom which is a result of your tire physically popping.
2. Whoosh
The loud pop may then be followed by a whoosh sound from all the air that is rapidly leaving your now popped tire.
3. Flap. Flap. Flop.
And once all the air escapes, the tire has deflated and the whoosh will most likely be followed by a flapping or flopping sound from the tire repeatedly hitting the road.
Final Thoughts
Often times tire blowouts can be prevented simply from taking care of the car and its tires. The common reasons that a tire blowout occurs include heat, worn treads, and underinflated tires. Most of these factors are in your control and you can avoid losing a tire through routine maintenance and tire rotation or simply checking your tire pressures before you go for a drive. So take the few seconds and do a quick inspection of your tires before you hit the road.
Comment below whether you check your tires before you hit the road.
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