Tire Blew Out on Highway: What to Do Next: Quick Guide

> **Quick Answer:** Grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas gradually, and do not slam the brakes. Let the car slow on its own, steer toward the right shoulder, and get as far off the road as possible before stopping. Turn on your hazard lights immediately. Once stopped and safe, call for roadside help. Do not attempt to change the tire on an active highway lane or in a travel lane.

## What Do I Do the Second My Tire Blows on the Highway?

Keep your hands on the wheel and hold your lane. A rear blowout causes the back end to sway; a front blowout pulls hard to the blown side. Either way, your first move is to resist the instinct to brake hard. That locks the wheels on an unstable car and can send you spinning.

Ease off the accelerator smoothly. Let aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance slow you down. Steer gently toward the right shoulder. Once you drop below about 30 mph, you can apply light, steady brake pressure if needed. Your target is the widest part of the shoulder you can reach, ideally past a guardrail end, an exit ramp, or an emergency pull-off.

If you're on a multilane interstate, signal and move right one lane at a time. Other drivers will usually give way when they see your hazards. Do not cut across multiple lanes at once at speed.

For more on handling a hard pull specifically, [Tire Blew Out at Highway Speed and Car Is Pulling Hard: What to Do](/tire-blew-out-at-highway-speed-car-pulling-hard-what-to-do/) walks through the steering correction in more detail.

## Is It Safe to Change the Tire Myself on the Highway Shoulder?

Only if you have a true full-size or temporary spare, a jack, and a lug wrench, AND you are completely off the travel lanes with plenty of shoulder width, flat ground, and good visibility. On a narrow shoulder, on a curve, or at night, the risk from passing traffic is real. Drivers drift onto shoulders constantly, and a person crouched at a wheel is nearly invisible to a distracted driver at 70 mph.

If there is any doubt about shoulder width or visibility, do not get out on the traffic side of the car. Set up road flares or reflective triangles at least 100 feet behind the vehicle. Keep the hazards running. Stay behind the guardrail if one is present.

If you have no spare, your options are a tow or a mobile tire service. [Blew a Tire on the Highway with No Spare: What to Do Right Now](/blew-a-tire-on-highway-no-spare-what-to-do-now/) covers those options directly.

## Who Do I Call After a Tire Blowout on the Highway?

Call your roadside assistance provider first, whether that's AAA, your insurance carrier's roadside line, or a manufacturer program like GM Roadside Assistance. If you don't have coverage, search for a local tow company or mobile tire service using your phone's maps app.

State highway patrol or DOT can also help. In most states, dialing 511 connects you to state traffic or road condition information, and operators can often direct you to assistance. Alternatively, call 911 if you feel unsafe or if the breakdown is in a dangerous location like a tunnel, a bridge, or an active merge lane.

Once help is confirmed, stay in the car with your seatbelt on if you're on a busy freeway. Exit through the passenger-side door if you need to get out.

If you're also dealing with uncertainty about wait times, [How Long Does It Take for a Tow Truck to Arrive](/how-long-does-it-take-for-a-tow-t
![hazard lights car road](/images/tire-blew-out-on-highway-what-to-do-next/mid.jpg)
*Photo: Pexels*
ruck-to-arrive/) gives realistic numbers based on location and time of day.

## What Causes a Tire to Blow Out at Highway Speed?

The most common cause is underinflation. A tire running 10 to 15 PSI below its recommended pressure builds up heat in the sidewall, and at sustained highway speeds that heat causes the internal structure to separate. You'll often get no warning before it fails completely.

Other causes include road debris like steel shards or sharp concrete chunks, a sidewall impact from a pothole, dry rot on an aging tire, or an overloaded vehicle pushing past the tire's load rating. Tires older than six years should be inspected even if the tread looks fine. The DOT manufacture date is molded into the sidewall in a four-digit code: the last two digits are the year (for example, "3021" means the 30th week of 2021).

If your car has a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a warning light before the blowout is a signal to pull off and check pressure immediately. That light can save you from this situation entirely.

## What Happens to My Car After a Blowout?

A blowout at highway speed can damage the wheel, the wheel well liner, the brake lines, and the fender if the destroyed tire wraps around the axle or suspension components. Inspect the rim before mounting any spare. A bent or cracked rim cannot hold air and will fail again immediately.

If the car steered extremely hard or made grinding noises after the blowout, have a shop check the control arms and tie rods before driving it any distance. A flat tire that was driven on, even briefly, can destroy the sidewall, shred the inner liner, and score the rim to the point where it needs replacement.

---


![tow truck highway](/images/tire-blew-out-on-highway-what-to-do-next/bottom.jpg)
*Photo: Pexels*

## Common Questions

**Q: Can I drive slowly on a blown tire to reach the next exit?**
A: No. Even at 5 mph, a destroyed tire will damage the rim within a few hundred feet, and on some vehicles it can damage the brake caliper or fender. Stop on the shoulder and call for a tow instead.

**Q: How do I know if my blowout damaged the rim?**
A: Look for visible bends, cracks, or gouges on the wheel face and inner barrel. If the rim was on the ground at any point, or if you drove on the flat, assume damage and have it inspected before mounting a spare.

**Q: What if I blow a tire in a lane where I can't safely reach the shoulder?**
A: Keep hazards on, drive as slowly as traffic allows, and move toward the nearest exit or widening. If you must stop, call 911 immediately so highway patrol can position a cruiser behind you for protection.

**Q: Will my car insurance cover a tire blowout?**
A: Standard liability coverage does not. Comprehensive coverage covers damage caused by road debris, and collision covers damage if the blowout causes an accident. The tire itself is almost never covered. Roadside assistance coverage pays for the tow.

**Q: Should I replace just the blown tire or all four?**
A: If the other three tires have significant tread remaining and are the same model, replacing just the one blown tire is usually fine for most cars. All-wheel-drive vehicles often require matching tread depth across all four tires to protect the differential, so check your owner's manual or ask your tire shop before replacing only one.

---

*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/tire-blew-out-on-highway-what-to-do-next/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*