Musings On Tyre Blowout – THISDAYLIVE

Road Safety 

Did you read my piece titled, The Silent Safety Guardian, published on July 12, 2025. In that piece, I lamented on my visit to Apo Mechanic village, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory to procure four tiyes for my car at a cost I found astounding. What I didn’t share with you was that the visit to Apo was the outcome of an earlier visit to my vulcanizer whose verdict was that my four tyres needed to be changed. Initially, I ignored his counsel like most car owners because of the scary price of tyres. This changed when the news of the death of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool player in a car crash hit the internet.

I do not know when last you visited your roadside vulcanizer or the professionals whose business is to service and also check alignment and wheel balancing. When you do, you will be stunned when the verdict will be that one or two of your tyres is either incorrectly inflated, worn out or both.Last week, I told you that tyre bursts are dangerous killers. I wrote that excessive speed increases the risk of tyre burst due to the added stress and heat generated, potentially leading to a blowout. Meanwhile, tire failure due to excessive speed is commonplace. Both excessive speed and tyre burst are dangerous, especially if the tyre which influences vehicles handling, braking, acceleration and overall stability are substandard. Fatigue completes the risky circle.I have chosen to treat these dangerous trio starting with tire blowouts. Incorrect tire pressures are the cause of tire blowouts.

I do not know if you still recall what Spains Guardia Civil said in their statement on the Diogo crash. They said that their investigation ‘’points to a road accident due to a burst tire while overtaking’’. Another source claimed that before setting out, he allegedly noticed tyres and brakes seemed faulty which he wanted to check but Andre convinced otherwise. The suspected faulty tyre induced by speed blew during high-speed overtaking, causing the car to lose control, thereby crashing through and catching fire.Meanwhile, another source said the Police were investigating the crash as ‘’a possible speeding incident’’.Again, let me repeat that incorrect tire pressure is the number one cause of tire blowouts, sudden tyre failures and premature tire wear.

Incorrect tyre pressure is an invitation to disaster even   if the tyres are brand new. It is a time bomb waiting for the right time to explode. The implication is that each time such a vehicle is driven, the occupants are facing grave dangers without being aware.So, what are the types of incorrect tire inflation? There are two types of incorrect tire pressure. These are over-inflation and under-inflation. Let’s take a look at how they can affect your tires and cause disaster and what could be done to maintain a proper pressure for your tires and so prevent or drastically minimize blowouts and other forms of tire failures.Under inflation is the major cause of tire blowouts.

Not witches. Not the spirit realm. When a tire is under inflated, it increases what is known as the Rolling Resistance (RR) as the vehicle moves. RR generates a tremendous amount of heat that could make your tire explode like a bomb. Such an explosion (blowout) would destabilize the vehicle’s balance leading to a crash and disaster.For other types of tire failures, over-inflation is the cause. When over-inflated, a tire becomes stiff. This can make it puncture easily. The internal materials used in making the tire are also subjected to undue strains. This would make them snap, leading to bulges or swells. As the tires hit a pothole or a bump, it can easily cut and have a sudden deflation that could cause a crash.Overinflation also leads to partial contact of the tires with the road surface. This reduces traction and can easily lead to loss of control when one is on high speed, wet surface, cornering or braking.

Each of these conditions can easily lead to a crash and disaster.The relief is that these can be prevented. There are two very effective options to prevention, or drastic reduction of blowouts and other forms of tire failures. The first option is to own a quality tire pressure gauge. As pointed out earlier, incorrect tire pressure is the major cause of blowouts and sudden tire failures. So, correct tire pressure is a must for any safety conscious motorist.

But the big question is, how do you ensure that what the vulcanizer pumped into your tires is the correct pressure? Only a quality tire pressure will tell you that. A quality gauge will also enable you to gauge your tires at the right time and to ensure that all the tires maintain correct pressure before the vehicle is driven out for the day. This is particularly important if you are in the transport business, travelling or you work in a sector where your vehicle is a vital daily tool.Never rely on the road side vulcanizers gauge. Most of their gauges are outright inferior, have been overused/abused over time and may have improper measuring units. In fairness to the vulcanizers, however, they may not be aware of these shortcomings with their gauges.The second option is to install a high-profile automatic tire monitor.

This is a state-of-the-art device that uses sensors and wireless monitors to monitor your tires on a 24 hours basis. It alerts the driver well in advance about an impending tire blowout or failure. It pinpoints the exact tire so that the driver will take appropriate measures to deal with the situation. It also effectively takes care of premature tire wear.  So, what is your vehicle’s correct tire pressure? By the end of the driver’s door of your vehicle, or in the vehicles manual, you will see specifications that show sizes of tires for your vehicle and the inflation pressure for the tyre in psi(pounds per square inch). Religiously stick to that specification.

Do not allow anyone, especially vulcanizers, to tell you otherwise unless you want to gamble with your life.It is instructive to note here that it is not the tire manufacturer that determines the pressure for your tyres but the vehicle manufacturer. It is the vehicle manufacturer that specifies the size of tires and the pressures to be given the tyres. He has taken into consideration the weight, speed, number of passengers, artificial inflation by heat and other factors to determine what the proper inflation pressure should be. The specifications you see on the tires are to enable you to match the specifications of the vehicle manufacturer. In this light, it is equally dangerous to use tire sizes different from what the vehicle manufacturer specified for the vehicle.

Let’s conclude with the gauging/pumping your tyres at the right time. The right time is when the tire is cold. Mornings are the ideal time. So, before you drive off gauge your tyres and if there is need to pump, slowly drive to the nearest vulcanizer. If you are the type that leaves home early, weekends may be the most convenient time. When hot, the tire pressure increases. Any action (gauge, pump) you take when the tyres are hot would be misleading and could be fatal.  Unfortunately, most people gauge and pump tyres when the tires are hot. Never do so. If the tiyes are hot, leave them for about 30 minutes to cool.