Vehicles are taking a beating as more people are hitting the road for vacation. The long distance, combined with the high temperatures, creates a perfect storm for tire blowouts.
“They’re thinking it’s a good tire and it’s safe because they don’t drive that often, so they don’t wear out that tire tread,” said Jeni Castillo, manager of Crest Tires, “but when we look at it, it’s on the verge of just blowing out, and if they hit a pot hole, there it goes.”
Castillo said she sees this happen all the time, and by simply checking your tires, you can save a life.
“You have to realize that your lives, not only your lives but the life of your children, the life of your family are at stake, and it’s very, very important,” Castillo said.
On Thursday, the Department of Public Safety said a front tire blowout caused a fatal car accident that killed two people on I-27 near Abernathy. DPS Sergeant John Gonzalez said if you ever find yourself in a blowout situation, you need to remember a few rules.
“There are several things you need to remember. Let off the gas, don’t hit your brakes,” said Gonzalez. “Let the vehicle slow down by itself – again it’s probably going to pull in a direction, especially if it’s one of the front tires.”
It can be a scary situation for anyone and can result in a deadly accident. Castillo said she knows this too well.
“I think God has me here for a certain reason, and it’s because I lost my cousin and her unborn baby and her 3-year-old daughter,” said Castillo. “They had a blowout about three years ago, and so it’s important to me to be here and educate people.”
However, to make sure that you are entirely safe, make sure you wear a seat belt.
“Unfortunately, if you start to side skid, always wear your seat belt. You need to be prepared because if it starts to roll, the seat belt will keep you inside the vehicle,” said Gonzalez.
