What is the first action you should take if you experience a tire blowout while driving?

When experiencing a tire blowout, the first action you should take is to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and steer straight. This is crucial because the sudden loss of tire pressure can cause your vehicle to veer unexpectedly, and maintaining control is essential for your safety. By steering straight ahead, you can help stabilize the vehicle and prevent it from swerving or rolling over, which can happen if you overreact by turning the wheel suddenly.

Maintaining a firm grip ensures that you're able to counteract any pull from the vehicle, particularly if the blowout occurs on one side. After stabilizing control, it's advisable to gradually ease off the accelerator and allow the car to slow down naturally, rather than braking immediately, which could cause loss of control.

Additionally, it's important to wait until the vehicle is under control and has slowed down before you consider pulling over safely to the side of the road. This approach minimizes danger during a potentially hazardous situation.