Why Car Tyres Burst Mid-Journey & How to Prevent it

An image of a vehicle with a blown flat tyre
An image of a vehicle with a blown flat tyre
Tread Connection

Car tyres play a vital role in the functionality of a vehicle. 

Normally, a car has four tyres attached at the end of the vehicle’s axles, maintaining a distance from the ground.

Motorists must always check on their car tyres before embarking on the road as a defective one could lead to road accidents that eventually lead to death.

Why does a tyre bust? Car tyres may burst for several reasons, including the loss of pressurised air from the tyre or when the tyre's structural integrity is compromised, thus unable to hold all that air inside.

An image of a car tyre with bumps all over it.
An image of a car tyre with bumps all over it.
WapCar

Some other reasons include the following;

Direct Impact

The dilapidating state of our roads mostly necessitates this. 

Unmarked tyres and open potholes result in bursting. The resultant impact of could slash the tyre surface at some point leading to the pressurised air escaping.  

High Temperatures

Heat affects almost all parts of the car and especially the tyres. Excessive heat build-up on or in your tyres is a sure shot provocation for bursting.

Heat-build causes the air inside the tyres to get hotter, pressurised and expand. Also, there is friction between the road surface and the tyre, making the latter hotter from the outside, thus weakening the rubber. 

Under Inflation

Improper air pressure in car tyres also results in bursting. 

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Traffic snarl-up at Uhuru Highway in Nairobi in March 2020.
Kenyans.co.ke

Under-inflated tyres will suffer from excessive flexing, invariably increasing the contact patch with the road.

This leads to the accumulation of more frictional force, which causes excessive heat build-up within the tyre. 

The heat build-up arising from the friction is much higher than what would arise from driving on a really hot day.

High Speed

Tyres available in the market are rated for a particular speed at which they are meant to function properly. Tyre structure are incapable of handling the higher friction levels.

Overloading 

Overloading strains the sidewalls, weakening the tyre and generating more heat, eventually bursting. 

Quality of the tyre

The quality of the tyres is equally proportionate to the period they can be used. Low-quality tyres are easily damaged, especially when overspeeding.

What to Do if You Get a Puncture

Though with the advancement of technology in tyres, bursts are becoming less frequent. However, despite all odds, a predicament can still occur. 

Here are some tips you need to remember while handling a tyre blowout.

Don’t take your foot off the accelerator abruptly 

As our brains are hardwired to apply emergency, we normally take our foot off the accelerator to reduce the vehicle's speed. 

An image of a deflated tyre of a truck
An image of a deflated tyre of a truck
Driving Test

However, motorists can decelerate technically. Once you have noticed the tyre burst, take off your foot from the accelerator slowly and gradually.

The force of deceleration from a burst-out tyre can slow down your vehicle rapidly, leading to a loss of control.

Apply the correct tyre pressure 

As recommended in your vehicle handbook, maintaining the ideal pressure is important.

Also, if you spot a nail or piece of glass in the tyre, do not remove it, as you may escalate the puncture. 

It is imperative to note that sometimes there is no way to prevent a flat tire.

Always drive safely and carefully, and follow proper procedures if you experience an unexpected blowout.

Do not slam on the brakes. Allow the car to slow naturally while steering to the side of the road.

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