It is summer in the desert, which means high temperatures and more tire blow outs.  A tire failure is extremely dangerous, especially in SUV's or vans.

A tire can fail for several reasons: tire design defect, tire manufacturing defect, negligent tire repair, under or over inflation, damage to the tire, or over use of the tire.

The first thing to do is try to prevent blowouts. Checking to make sure your tire pressure is correct is the first step. Then, occasionally inspect your tires for gouges or damages. If you hit a curb hard, get the tire checked out. Finally, use only reputable shops to repair a flat tire. A bad repair creates an avenue for air to get in between layers of the tire, which can lead to failure.

If you have a blowout, do not panic. Often, the first thing that happens is that the tire tread slams against the inside of the wheel well. This sounds like an explosion in the car, SUV, or van. Then, if the tread stays attached to the tire, the banging of the tread against the wheel well continues, which results in a very loud, “bam, bam, bam” sound and vibration.

The driver's natural, and often irresistible, reaction to this very loud noise and vibration is to slam on the brakes. That is the worst thing to do. When a tire loses its tread, that tire does not have any stopping power. As a result, when the brakes are applied, the car acts unexpectedly and goes into a skid. The instinctive counter reaction is to yank the wheel in the opposite direction of the skid. This only makes matters worse, as the failed tire has no sidewall stability, and the car or SUV loses all grip to the road.

This results in a collision or even more dangerous , a roll over.
The best way to handle a blowout is to hold the wheel as stead and strait as you can. After a few seconds, and after you have control of the vehicle, gently let off the gas. Let the car or SUV slow down on its own. Then, when you are at a safe, very low speed, very gently apply the brakes and pull over to the shoulder.

Have a safe and fun summer!