California · Right-of-Way
A tire blows out while you are driving on a California road. What is the correct response?
- Grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and steer straight until you can safely pull off
- Swerve to the shoulder
- Brake hard immediately
- Accelerate to stabilize
Correct answer
Grip the wheel firmly, ease off the gas, and steer straight until you can safely pull off
Why this is correct
A blowout drags the vehicle toward the damaged side. California handbook guidance: firm grip, foot off the gas, steer straight, let the vehicle slow, then ease to the shoulder. Hard braking can send the vehicle into a spin or rollover.
California Driver Handbook, p. 85