Tyre Blowout at 90 km/h with Passengers
You are driving a five-year-old estate car at 90 km/h on a two-lane road south of Nouakchott. The rear right tyre, inflated to the owner's recommended 2.2 bar, suffers a sudden blowout. The car pulls hard to the right, the steering wheel shakes, and the passengers shout. A lorry is approaching from the opposite direction about 150 m away. The shoulder is narrow and drops 20 cm onto soft sand. You have a spare wheel, a jack, a warning triangle, and a first-aid kit. One rear passenger has a cut on the forehead from hitting the window. The road is straight, visibility is good, and traffic is moderate. You must control the car, choose a stopping place, and decide what to do first after stopping.
1. What should you do in the first three seconds after the blowout?
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Grip the wheel firmly with both hands and keep the car straight. Do not stamp on the brakes and do not jerk the wheel away from the pull; a rear tyre has failed, so sudden braking or steering can spin the car. Ease off the accelerator and let engine braking reduce speed gradually. Keep the car in its lane until the initial swerve is under control, then check the mirror and signal before moving right. The oncoming lorry 150 m away means you must not cross the centre line. Once stable, switch on hazard lights. The key reasoning is that weight transfer is already disturbed; smooth inputs are what keep the car from spinning.
2. Where and how should you stop, given the soft shoulder and the oncoming lorry?
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Aim for the widest firm section of shoulder, not the deepest sand. Reduce speed before leaving the pavement; if you turn onto soft sand too fast, the car may dig in or swing. Keep the wheels straight and stop as far right as the surface allows, even if part of the car remains on the pavement with hazard lights on. Do not stop opposite the lorry's path or in a dip. After stopping, put on hazard lights and place the warning triangle well behind the car, roughly 30–50 m on this straight road, without standing in the traffic lane. Passengers should exit on the side away from traffic. If the shoulder is too soft to support the jack, do not jack there; call for recovery or move slowly to a firmer spot.
3. The rear passenger is bleeding from the forehead. What is your priority order?
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First secure the scene: hazard lights, triangle, and passengers away from the traffic lane. Then check the injured passenger's responsiveness and breathing. Apply direct pressure to the forehead cut with a clean dressing from the first-aid kit; do not remove any embedded object. Keep the passenger seated and still, because a blow to the head can cause concussion or neck injury. Call emergency services or flag a passing driver if you have no phone signal. Changing the tyre is secondary until the bleeding is controlled and everyone is in a safe place. If the tyre is in the traffic lane, do not attempt the change there; request recovery or move only if the vehicle can be driven safely on the rim.