If you experience a blowout, what should you do first?

When experiencing a blowout, the correct action to take first is to lift your foot off the accelerator and brake gently. This response is critical because it helps maintain control of the vehicle while you assess the situation. Abruptly braking hard in response to a blowout can cause the vehicle to lose stability, potentially leading to a loss of control or an accident.

By gently reducing speed, you give yourself a better chance to manage the vehicle's handling as it may pull to one side depending on which tire has blown. This careful approach allows you to prepare for a safe place to stop, rather than causing further issues or an accident by overreacting to the sudden loss of tire pressure.

Making a sharp turn with the steering wheel can also cause loss of control, compounding the danger already presented by the blowout. Shifting into neutral would not help you manage speed or control effectively, and immediate hard braking could elevate the risk of skidding or rolling over, particularly if the blowout occurs at highway speeds.