At least once in our lives we will experience a punctured tyre. If you drive for a living, you’ve got more chance than any of puncturing or blowing a tyre – here’s what to do to keep safe.
Puncture or blow out? Your tyres could be damaged two very different ways. A puncture equates to a slow release of air from one of your tyres; you may quickly or even over time notice your tyre pressure fading, which equates to a puncture. Depending on the severity of the puncture, your tyre can easily be repaired or replaced.
A tyre blow out can be more dangerous. The air is lost immediately from the tyres, due to the tyre losing its integrity – effectively bursting under the pressure of impact or another fault. Aside from the bang, you may notice your vehicle begins to shudder or steer involuntarily left or right.
When a blow out occurs, stay calm! If your vehicle swerves, adjust your steering to follow the direction of the swerve. And no sudden braking! Keep the weight off your front tyres and maintain speed, before changing down your gears, pulling safely to the side of the road and coming to a gradual stop.
Punctures can happen at any time, and often it’s out of our control, so it’s vital you’re prepared to take the correct action when it happens.
For more information about our latest driving opportunities, or to find out how Flexistaff can support your organisation, contact us on 0844 556 2916 or [email protected].