Balancing Budget, Safety, and Comfort: Tips for Buying Vehicles

Of the many vehicle maintenance issues that can happen on the road, a tire blowout is one of the most dangerous.

Why Are Tire Blowouts Dangerous?

They Are Unexpected

For one, a tire blowout can become an emergency at any time on the road. Imagine you are driving along in traffic and, all of a sudden, you're left with three wheels instead of four. At the best, you're looking at an emergency that will hold up traffic around you. At worst, a tire blowout could cause a collision.

They Cause Erratic Vehicle Behavior

When a tire gives way, it causes a significant drop in height on one side of the vehicle. That often causes the car to swerve, and you may over-correct to counteract that motion. Car behavior during a blowout is hard to control.

They Can Leave You Stranded

At the same time, a blowout could leave you stranded in a place you don't want to be. If the blowout happens at night or in a deserted area, it is a hazard to your personal safety.

How Can You Prevent Tire Blowouts?

The first thing to do is to make sure that you choose the right tires. Always opt for new tires. While you can get a deal on used tires, you never know what kinds of unusual stresses they might have gone through. Although they may look fine, they could have been involved in a previous accident or been used heavily on a rental vehicle or taxi, or they may have been recalled by a manufacturer. You can also research some of the best brands of tires online, based on your vehicle's make and model.

Equally important is to choose a good auto repair shop to do maintenance and installation for your tires. There are many things that can go wrong while installing tires. You want a mechanic who can check issues with wheel alignment and rim damage to ensure a safe tire installation. If your tires are not even, it places additional stress on specific tires and leads to a greater chance of a blowout.

Finally, figure out how to do regular tire maintenance. Part of it happens at home. For instance, checking your tire pressure and your tread levels are things you can do without professional experience. But it is also worthwhile to do a thorough evaluation of your car at an auto repair shop at least once a year in order to find issues with tires, brakes, and other critical car parts.

For more information about checking your tires and other auto maintenance tips, talk to mechanics at shops like Benchmark Motors INC.