The first ten seconds
If a tire blows at speed, the car will pull hard toward that side. Hold the wheel firmly, ease off the accelerator and let the car slow gradually. Do not brake hard and do not jerk the wheel — both make it much harder to keep the car straight.
Signal, and move toward the shoulder or an exit as smoothly as you can. Getting completely off the road matters more than stopping quickly.
Deciding whether to change it yourself
This decision is about location, not ability. A flat in a parking lot or a quiet residential street is a reasonable thing to handle yourself if you have a usable spare and the tools.
A flat on a highway shoulder with traffic passing a few feet away is not. Being struck while changing a tire is a real danger, and no tire is worth it. In that situation, hazard lights on, seat belt fastened, stay in the vehicle and call.
- Are you completely clear of traffic lanes?
- Is the ground firm and level enough for a jack?
- Do you have a usable spare, jack and lug wrench?
- Is visibility good, or is it dark or raining?
- Is the flat on the traffic side of the car?
If you install a compact spare
Temporary spares have real limits, usually around 50 mph and a restricted distance. Those limits are printed on the tire and they are not conservative suggestions.
A compact spare is also a different diameter than your regular tires, which affects handling and, on some vehicles, drivetrain components. Get the proper tire dealt with promptly rather than running on the spare for weeks.
Do not keep driving on a flat
Driving on a flat tire destroys it within a very short distance and can damage the wheel itself. What might have been a repairable puncture becomes a new tire, and possibly a new wheel.
If you cannot stop immediately, get to the nearest safe spot and stop there. A few hundred feet at low speed is survivable for the tire; a mile is not.
Need This Fixed?
YBE handles this at the Capitol Heights shop, seven days a week. Read about Flat-Tire Assistance, or call and describe what your car is doing.