Very few drivers will be lucky enough to avoid a flat tire during their driving career. According to the knowledgeable experts at Speedway Towing & Roadside Assistance, flat tires can range from an inconvenience that can make you late for work, to a much more dangerous blowout that can have devastating consequences for you and any other vehicles traveling around you.
What Does a Flat Tire Blowout Feel Like?
• Your cars steering doesn’t feel right, and you have to hold onto the steering wheel to stop the car from veering and keep it going straight. Other signs include your steering wheel vibrating or feeling loose. Any sudden changes in your steering are cause to pull over immediately.
• If your car keeps slowing down for no apparent reason and you have difficulty maintaining speed pull over out of the flow of traffic immediately and find a safe place to stop.
• If you hear a strange noise such as a grinding or groaning sound or you feel as though your engine is straining, pull over immediately.
How to Tell if a Tire is Flat, Low or Separated
A flat tire is both dangerous and inconvenient but a flat or blowout can be easily prevented as long as you are vigilant. Tires often show a number of warning signs that trouble may be close at hand and drivers who wish to avoid the risk of a potential accident can inspect their tires for the following easily identifiable signs:
1. Varying wear & tear: Tires should be uniform in wear at least in terms of one front tire matching the other front tire and so on and so forth. Uneven tread on your tires indicates that the tire with the most wear could become an issue. That being said it’s important to keep in mind that the wear on the front and back may differ slightly and is not a cause for concern.
2. Worn tire tread: most drivers even those with little experience typically recognize when their tire tread has become so worn it becomes a safety concern. The best way to test the tread yourself is to place a penny into the tread of the tire with the heads side up. If you can see Abraham Lincolns hairline, the tire should be replaced. This test should be performed on each of your four tires.
3. Low tire pressure: it is always prudent to check tire pressure to ensure that it is not low and meets the manufacturer-recommended pressure. A tire that is flat and underinflated is also a tire that is under stress. A stressed tire can easily become a blowout putting you, your passengers and other vehicles traveling on the road around you at risk. Under inflated tires will also make your engine work twice as hard which can have a negative impact on the fuel efficiency of your vehicle costing you your hard earned cash.
4. Damage to the tire itself: on some occasions you may notice that your tire has signs of damage such as bulge or a nail wedged in your side wall. These signs may indicate that a flat tire is right around the corner. Damaged tires should be replaced immediately.
Roadside Assistance & Towing Services in Irving, Fort Worth, Arlington, Carrollton & Plano Texas
Maintaining your vehicle is paramount to your safety but no matter how diligent you are, accidents still happen. If you find yourself stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire, contact the knowledgeable experts at Speedway Towing & Roadside Assistance for 24/7 towing and emergency roadside assistance services.
