Tire blowouts are the number one cause of accidents on the road where incorrect tire pressure is the main culprit. So most of these accidents can be avoided by doing simple maintenance and inspection of your tires.
So what causes a tire blowout? Tire blowout occurs when the pressurized air within the tire escapes rapidly through a tear causing an explosion. This will cause the vehicle to lose control and you might end up in a ditch or worse into incoming traffic. We will be discussing the most common causes of tire blowouts so that you can avoid them.
Tire blowout caused by Under-inflation
When your tires are underinflated, the contact patch on the road is larger and there is more rolling resistance, This means that the rubber inside the tire will heat up faster than normal.
This heat is then transferred to the pressurized air inside the tire heating it up. On long trips this could eventually weaken the tire and cause a tire blowout.
When your tire is underinflated there is not enough air to protect the tire from obstacles like rocks and stones. Collision with a rock could cause a cut in the tire and lead to a tire blowout.
Tire blowout caused by Over-inflation
When the pressure inside the tire is too high, it cannot absorb the shock from the road surface that well, because the tire can’t flex. Hitting a pothole or a curb will cause the tire to burst on impact.
When your tire is overinflated and you hit the road on a very hot day, the tarmac will heat up your tire transferring the heat to the already over pressurized air inside and expanding it even more causing a tire blowout.
Tire blowout caused by Impact
When driving through a nasty pothole or over a rock or curb at high speed, the tire will contract, increasing the pressure within the tire and can cause a tire blowout. The tire can burst from impact alone like hitting an unavoidable pothole. When the tire is damaged in the process it can leave a cut in the tire causing the pressurized air to leave the tire rapidly and resulting in a tire blowout.
Tire blowout caused by High Temperatures
Driving your car in hot weather will cause the tire to get excessive heat build up. The friction from the road and the warm sun shining on the tarmac all day will cause the tire to heat up. This heat will transfer to the air inside the tire causing it to expand till a certain point where the tire can’t handle the pressure anymore.
This excessive heat build up in the tire will also weaken it and the result may be a tire blowout.
Tire blowout caused by Misuse
Doing stunts like burnouts and drifts will leave your tires worn out and weakened. If you are into doing stunts regularly you need to inspect your tires regularly to see if there are any damaged parts or uneven treading. Check before each time you do stunts for damage and also if your tire pressure is at the manufacturers recommended pressure.
Your tires lifespan will be greatly affected doing stunts and using weakened or damaged tires for stunts can be catastrophic.
Second Hand tire blowouts
Buying second hand tires will save you money, but is your safety really worth the few bucks you save? Buying already worn tires is a bad idea, the structural integrity of these tires might be compromised and age wise they might be at a stage where they are already weakened. These worn tires will have reduced tread where gripping to the road will be compromised and also their water dispersing ability will mostly be lost. These tires will have a greater chance for blowouts, rather avoid them.
Also stick with tire brands that you know, or brands from big companies. They have the resources to test their tires thoroughly and will normally be safer.
Tire blowouts caused by Overloading Tires
If you have a vehicle that you constantly use for heavy loads make sure the tires that you are using have the right load index. Every tire has a load index which indicates the maximum weight the tire can carry safely. Anything heavier than that the tires will start to fail and will lead to a tire blowout. It is especially dangerous if you are carrying a heavy load with underinflated tires. The load index can be seen on the sidewall of the tire. Look for a code similar to this; 205/60R15 91H. The 91 is the load index and you need a load index chart to see the actual load capacity. The 91 here means 615kg (1356 lb).
Tire speed ratings
Like load index all tires have a speed index too. When using the above example; 205/60R15 91H, the speed rating here is H. Again you need a speed index chart to see the actual speed limit for your tire. The H in this example have a value of 210km/h (130mph)
Speeding beyond this point is dangerous and the tire will start to fail driving at prolonged periods of time at speed exceeding the speed rating and can cause tire blowouts.
Conclusion
By doing regular checkups and inspection of your tires, you can keep you and your family safe. Now that you know the most common causes of tire blowouts you can prevent it from happening unnecessarily due to negligence. Going on a trip for the holidays, don’t just check your oil and engine water but do a close inspection of your tires too and check the tire pressure.
Make sure your tires can carry the load you are carrying for the trip and don’t go over your tire’s speed rating with a full load!
