> **Quick Answer:** Grip the wheel firmly with both hands, do not brake hard, and hold your lane. Ease off the gas slowly and let the car decelerate on its own. Once you drop below 30 mph, steer gradually toward the shoulder. Put on your hazards, get as far off the road as possible, and call for help. Do not try to change the tire on a live highway lane.
## What Do I Do in the First 5 Seconds After a Blowout at Highway Speed?
Hold the wheel straight and do not lift your foot off the gas immediately. That sounds wrong, but it is correct: a sudden blowout creates drag on one side of the car. If you brake hard or jerk the wheel, you can spin out. Keep the car tracking straight for two or three seconds while you get your bearings, then ease off the accelerator smoothly. The car will slow itself down faster than you expect once a tire is gone, especially a front tire.
If it was a rear blowout, the back end may feel loose or fishtailing. Gentle counter-steering and holding your lane is the move. Do not overcorrect.
Turn your hazard lights on as soon as your hands are stable enough to reach the button.
## How Do I Get to the Shoulder Safely?
Once you are below 45 mph, start steering toward the right shoulder in a slow, deliberate arc. Signal if traffic allows. Your goal is the far right edge of the shoulder, as far from traffic as you can get. A blown tire handles like a flat sled. The car will pull hard toward the bad tire, so you will need to actively steer against that pull.
If you are on a multi-lane interstate and you are in the far left lane when it blows, do not cut across all lanes at once. Work your way right one lane at a time, using gaps in traffic. A controlled diagonal is safer than a panic cut.
Come to a complete stop before you do anything else.
## Is It Safe to Change the Tire Myself on the Highway?
No, not on an active highway shoulder. The shoulder of an interstate is one of the most dangerous places a person can stand. Every year, drivers and passengers are struck by distracted or drifting vehicles while changing tires on the shoulder. If you have a spare and the skill to use it, only consider changing the tire if you are on a wide, clearly marked emergency pull-off or a low-traffic rural road well away from the travel lanes.
On any major highway, the right call is to stay inside the car with your seatbelt on, hazards running, and call for a tow. Exit the vehicle only if staying inside is itself dangerous, such as if another vehicle is approaching and about to hit you. In that case, get out on the passenger side and move away from traffic, behind a guardrail if one is present.
Set out emergency triangles or a flare behind the car if you have them. [Emergency triangles vs flares have different advantages on a highway](/emergency-triangle-vs-flares-which-is-safer-on-highway/), and it is worth knowing which to use before you are in this situation.
## What Should I Do Once I'm Stopped on the Shoulder?
Call for roadside assistance or a tow truck. A blowout at 70 mph typically shreds the tire and damages the wheel, sometimes the wheel well too. Even if your spare is in good shape, a shredded sidewall or bent rim means your original tire is not just flat, it is destroyed.
Keep your seatbelt on while you wait inside the car. If your car is visible but you are worried about visibility, call 911 and let them know your location, especially at night or in poor weather. On interstate
*Photo: Pexels*
s, use mile marker signs to give dispatchers your exact position. Something like "I-40 eastbound, mile marker 211" gets help to you faster than a vague description.
If you are on a road trip far from home, [breaking down in an unfamiliar place adds stress](/car-broke-down-on-road-trip-in-unfamiliar-city-what-to-do/), but the process is the same. Call a tow, do not drive on the blown tire, and ask the tow driver to take you to a tire shop, not just a gas station.
## Why Did My Tire Blow Out at Highway Speed and Will My Insurance Cover It?
Tires blow at highway speed for a few common reasons: underinflation over time causes heat buildup in the sidewall until it fails, impact damage from a pothole or road debris creates a weak spot that lets go under load, and tires that are worn past the wear bars are simply too thin to handle sustained high-speed stress. A bubble or bulge in the sidewall is a known failure point. If you saw one before this trip and ignored it, that is almost certainly what failed.
Most standard auto insurance policies do not cover tire replacement itself. Comprehensive coverage can apply if road debris caused the blowout, but you will need to document it. Roadside assistance, whether through your insurer, AAA, or a standalone plan, typically covers the tow cost. Check [what State Farm roadside assistance actually covers](/does-state-farm-roadside-assistance-cover-towing/) before you assume your tow is paid for.
Once you are safe and the car is at a shop, ask them to inspect the wheel for bends or cracks. A blowout at speed sometimes deforms the rim enough that a new tire alone will not fix the problem.
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*Photo: Pexels*
## Common Questions
**Q: Should I brake hard when a tire blows out on the highway?**
A: No. Hard braking after a blowout at speed can cause you to spin or lose control entirely. Ease off the gas, hold the wheel straight, and let the car slow down on its own before steering toward the shoulder.
**Q: Can I drive slowly on a blown tire to get off the highway?**
A: A few hundred feet to reach the shoulder, yes. Any further and you risk destroying the rim, damaging the brake rotor, and losing steering. Do not attempt to drive to the next exit on a blown tire.
**Q: How much will it cost to tow my car after a highway blowout?**
A: A highway tow typically runs $75 to $150 for the first few miles, with per-mile rates of $3 to $7 after that. If you are far from the nearest town, costs rise quickly. See [how much a tow truck costs without insurance](/how-much-does-a-tow-truck-cost-without-insurance/) for a full breakdown.
**Q: Is a blowout the same as a flat tire?**
A: Not exactly. A flat loses air slowly through a leak or puncture. A blowout is a sudden, violent failure of the tire structure, often the sidewall, and usually shreds the rubber. A flat can sometimes be plugged or changed roadside. A blowout almost always means the tire is destroyed and must be replaced.
**Q: What if my spare is also flat or I don't have one?**
A: You need a tow. Do not drive on the rim. [If you have no spare and no roadside assistance](/flat-tire-no-spare-no-roadside-assistance-options/), call a local tow company directly or use a roadside app. Some shops can bring a tire to you on the shoulder, but that service is not available everywhere.
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*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/blowout-on-highway-at-70-mph-what-to-do/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*
Blowout on Highway at 70 mph: What to Do Right Now
Photo: Pexels