Rear Tire Blowout With a Child in a Booster Seat
You are driving 65 mph in the middle lane of a three-lane highway. Your 7-year-old child is asleep in a belt-positioning booster seat in the rear. A rear tire suddenly blows out. The car pulls hard to the right, the steering wheel shakes, and you hear thumping. A tractor-trailer is in the right lane slightly behind you. Your exit is 2 miles ahead. The shoulder is narrow but paved, with a guardrail. You have not checked the spare tire recently. The child begins to wake up and ask what is happening. You feel the urge to brake hard and jerk the wheel back into the lane. Traffic is moderate; the left lane is open. Your hazard lights are not yet on. What do you do?
1. What are the first three actions you should take, and what should you avoid?
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First, grip the wheel firmly with both hands and keep the car pointed straight. Second, ease off the accelerator; do not brake hard, because braking shifts weight to the blown tire and can cause a spin. Third, turn on your hazard lights as soon as you have control. Avoid jerking the wheel to fight the pull; steer smoothly and correct gradually. Let the car slow on its own, then brake gently once speed is down. Do not try to cross the right lane abruptly in front of the tractor-trailer; check the mirror and signal before moving toward the shoulder.
2. Where should you stop, and what should you do with the child?
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Stop on the paved shoulder as far from traffic as the guardrail allows, or take the next exit if the car is controllable and the shoulder is unsafe. Put the car in park, set the parking brake, and turn on hazards. Keep the child in the booster seat until you have assessed traffic; then exit on the side away from traffic and move behind the guardrail if it is safe. Do not stand between the car and traffic. Call for help and do not change the tire on the traffic side unless it is clearly safe. The booster seat is correct for a 7-year-old only if the child meets the seat's height and weight limits and the lap-shoulder belt fits properly.
3. How does the presence of the tractor-trailer affect your emergency plan?
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The truck is close and heavy; it cannot stop or swerve as quickly as you might expect. Do not cut in front of it or brake suddenly in its lane. Signal early and move right only when you have a clear gap. If the truck is already beside you, wait for it to pass before changing lanes. Once on the shoulder, leave extra space because truck wind buffeting can pull your car. If you must stop in the right lane, stay belted and call 911 rather than standing outside.