> **Quick Answer:** Do not brake hard. Do not jerk the wheel. Grip the steering wheel firmly with both hands, ease off the gas, and let the car slow down on its own. Steer smoothly toward the shoulder. Once you are well off the road and stopped, turn on your hazard lights. Call for a tow if you cannot safely change the tire where you have stopped.
## What to Do: Step by Step
A blowout at 65 mph sounds like a gunshot and feels like the car is being yanked sideways. Your instinct is to brake hard. That instinct will get you killed. Follow these steps instead.
**1. Grip the wheel hard with both hands.**
The car will pull toward the blown tire. You need to fight that. Keep your arms firm, hands at 9 and 3, and hold your lane.
**2. Do not touch the brakes.**
Braking transfers weight forward and onto the damaged corner of the car. That makes the pull worse and can cause a spin. Keep your foot off the brake pedal entirely for the first few seconds.
**3. Ease off the gas gradually.**
Let engine drag slow the car naturally. You want a smooth, steady deceleration. Do not stomp the gas either. Just lift your foot and let physics do the work.
**4. Signal and drift toward the shoulder.**
Once you have slowed to around 30 mph and the car feels stable, begin moving right. Use gradual steering inputs. No sharp turns. If traffic is heavy, wait for a gap before you move.
**5. Roll onto the shoulder as far right as possible.**
Do not stop on the white line. Get the car fully off the travel lane, ideally past the solid white line and onto the paved shoulder. If there is a guardrail, stop before you hit it.
**6. Turn on your hazard lights immediately.**
Do this as soon as you are stopped. Not before. You need both hands during the blowout itself.
**7. Assess before you get out.**
Look in your mirrors. Check traffic patterns. If you are on a busy freeway with no barrier between you and traffic, staying inside the car with your seatbelt on is safer than standing outside. See [car broke down on freeway: what to do right now](/car-broke-down-on-freeway-what-to-do/) for how to handle high-speed highway stops.
**8. Decide: change it or call for help.**
If you have a full-size spare and the car is on stable, flat pavement well away from traffic, you can change the tire. If the spare is a temporary donut, drive slowly to the nearest exit and shop. If the spare is also flat, you need a tow. Read [tire blew out and spare is also flat: what to do right now](/tire-blew-out-spare-is-also-flat-what-to-do/) before you assume you are stuck.
**9. Call a tow truck if you cannot safely change the tire.**
Give your exact mile marker or nearest exit number. Most tow companies can find you faster with that information than with a street address.
*Photo: Pexels*
## What It Might Cost
A standard tow from a highway to the nearest tire shop runs $75 to $150 in most metro areas. If you are far from a city, expect $150 to $300 or more depending on distance. If your spare is flat or your tire is shredded on a wheel-up, request a flatbed. A wheel-lift truck dragging a blown rim will destroy it.
Many roadside assistance programs cover blowouts. Check your insurance app before you call a tow company directly.
*Photo: Pexels*
## Stay Safe
- Set up road flares or reflective triangles at least 100 feet behind the car if you have them.
- Never stand behind your car on a highway shoulder. Stand on the far side of the guardrail if one is present.
- If you have kids in the car, keep them inside with seatbelts on. Getting them out near highway traffic is more dangerous than leaving them buckled up. [Car broke down with kids in car](/car-broke-down-with-kids-in-car-safety-steps/) covers the full safety sequence.
- Keep your phone charged and on you. Do not leave it in the car if you step away.
- If it is dark, put on a jacket or anything light-colored so drivers can see you.
- A front tire blowout is harder to control than a rear. If you felt the steering wheel yank hard, that was a front. Stay calm. The technique is the same.
- If your tire blew and the car feels unsafe to move even to the shoulder, stay inside, call 911, and stay buckled.
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*Need roadside help? Visit [Tow With The Flow](https://towwiththeflow.com/tire-blowout-at-highway-speed-what-to-do-step-by-step/) for real answers when your car breaks down.*
Tire Blowout at Highway Speed: What to Do Step by Step
Photo: Pexels