High speed blow-outs can be devastating. For example, one lane of the A27 had to be closed after a lorry suffered a tyre blow-out which caused miles of tailbacks and in a truly tragic incident, a British lorry driver was killed instantly when he suffered a tyre blow-out and lost control on a Belgian motorway.
Sadly, blowouts on trucks are common. The sheer weight of a truck, which will often exceed 40-tonnes, puts immense pressure on the rubber below. Lorry tyres will have a tyre pressure of around 100-120psi depending on their load and if a tyre at that pressure gives way, all that pressure exerts serious force onto one side of an axle. This will often result in a complete loss of vehicle control. In addition to this, flying debris from the explosion can decimate the side of a lorry and throw debris all over the road. This debris, which can reach speeds of over 100mph, can penetrate the skin of a car and smash through the windscreen.
As anybody who’s had a blow-out will attest to, there is no guidebook for dealing with one; it’s simply instinct that keeps you in control of the lorry, and that’s only if the explosion allows you to remain in some control. However, there are some actions that could well save your life should you have a tyre blow-out at high speed. Here are those actions:
What to do if you have a rear tyre blowout
If you have a rear tyre blowout, then the truck is going to shift to one side very quickly as the pressure of the exploding tyre pushes on the rear axle. Hopefully, you won’t start a spin and if you don’t, you have a split chance to save yourself. The best thing to do is to grab the steering wheel firmly and allow the truck to slow down itself. Your immediate instinct will be to brake however doing so will only make matters worse. Your best course of action is to hold your course, change down to lower gears if possible, and allow the truck to slow down on its own. Once below 20mph you can apply light pressure on the brake.
What to do if you have a front tyre blowout
If you have a front tyre blowout, your steering will be compromised. The lorry will also pull heavily to one side. If you react quickly, you may be able to catch this and save yourself from ploughing into the side barrier or worse, another vehicle. You should hold the steering wheel firm to keep the lorry on course. You should avoid trying to steer the lorry in any way. Your aim is simply to hold your course. The people behind you should have seen what’s happened so worry about what’s in front of you. You will find the accelerator extremely useful for this, because the power of the truck can help you to keep your truck on course.
General advice
The rapid loss of air in a tyre can be devastating. Even if nobody is hurt as a result, the mechanical damage can be significant. If you have a blow out, refrain from nursing the lorry to a service station. You should stop in the nearest safe place. If you can only stop in a lane of a motorway or a dual carriageway, then you should call the emergency services because your presence in the lane of a motorway or dual carriageway could cause a serious accident.
