Anytime that you are on the busy roads of West Palm Beach or Jupiter, Florida, it is important to be prepared to handle an emergency situation. Although proper maintenance and ensuring that you select a safe vehicle to begin with can decrease your chances of being involved in a car breakdown situation or a vehicle accident, a breakdown can happen at any time. In fact, the only aspect of a breakdown in Florida that you may be in control of is how you handle the situation after it begins.
Read on to learn more about how to handle a tire blowout and avoid further accidents. Sometimes the best thing you can do in an emergency situation is nothing. This is some of the most common advice given by experts about how to handle a tire blow out.
Every driver’s natural reaction to the situation is to head immediately for the shoulder of the road and to brake as hard as possible. Most drivers might be tempted to do this.
However, research suggests that it may be in your best interests to avoid touching the brake and to drive straight. Another method to handle a tire blow out is to press the gas paddle very briefly. This is done just quickly enough to stabilize the vehicle.
There are other benefits to pressing the gas paddle very quickly. It prevents you from turning the steering wheel or pushing the brake. The drag of a blown tire on a vehicle means that very few vehicles will be able to do anymore during this period than to maintain their speed.
This means that pressing the accelerator briefly will not cause the vehicle to accelerate. In fact, the blown tire might even make it seem as though you are dragging something behind the vehicle.
If you do have any lock brakes in your vehicle, if you keep the steering wheel pointed ahead, you may be able to avoid a more serious action. One of the most dangerous things that you can do if it appears that your tire has blown out is to jerk the steering wheel prior to the car slowing down.
This is particularly dangerous in situations where a rear tire has blown out, because turning the wheel while still moving at a high rate of speed would increase the chances that you will spin out.
Trying to maintain your calm in this situation and getting out of the way of other traffic is certainly important, but you should never attempt to slam the brakes as hard as possible because other drivers who are following closely behind you may not able to adapt quickly and you could put yourself at greater risk if being involved in a serious accident.
Any situation in which you may be deemed to have been negligent or reckless could even lead to a personal injury claim with costly medical bills and the other negative consequences that follow from an accident like this.
Make sure that you always check your tire pressure and have your tires rotated regularly. Your mechanic should be keeping an eye on the basic matrix of your tires, but it is a good idea for you to always have your car looked at when you are getting an oil change as well.
This could be your first chance to identify problems with the tires that could prevent a blowout. Remember that if you tire does blowout while you’re on the open road, staying calm, cool and collected is one of the most important things you can do to prevent an accident.
Also Read: Fast Facts About Car Accidents In Florida
Consult with West Palm Beach Car Accident Attorney Today
If you have already been injured in an accident in West Palm Beach or Jupiter, Florida as a result of someone else’s reckless behavior, you need the insight of an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
You may be able to file a legal claim to recover compensation for your injuries as well as your pain and suffering. Speaking with a lawyer sooner rather than later is strongly recommended so that you have a clear picture of what to do next.
Discover more about critical causes and impacts of accidents in Florida: https://lawteam.com/2016/09/16/statistics-about-accidents-in-florida/