Flat tyre

Can you drive with a flat tyre?

It is very dangerous to drive with a flat tyre. Continuing to drive after a drastic drop in the internal tyre pressure carries several risks and can even cause damage to the wheel and other vehicle components.

Plus, driving with a flat tyre reduces driving safety and increases the risk of skidding and losing control of the vehicle. It is also banned by law, so you would run the risk of receiving a fine and other measures on your driving licence.

In general, when you have a flat tyre, you should stop immediately, as soon as you are safely able to do so. Then you need to examine the damage and decide what to do next. Under no circumstances should you continue to drive with one or more flat tyres, as you would be risking your own safety and that of any passengers and other drivers.

What do you do if you have a flat tyre?

Modern cars have a TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System), which monitors the pressure of the tyres and alerts the driver if it drops more than 25% below the normal value. If that happens, you need to stop as soon as possible, check your tyres and establish what caused the pressure loss.

In some cases, a flat tyre could be caused by a sudden puncture, where the tyre immediately loses all pressure, or by a bump that significantly damages the tyre. In any case, if you notice a flat tyre, it is important to stop safely as soon as possible, in a lay-by, petrol station or garage, for example.

Then you should inspect the tyres to establish what has happened and whether you can keep driving. If the damage is minor, you can try to inflate the tyre using a mobile compressor so that you can safely make it to the nearest repair centre. However, if the damage is serious, you will need to replace the tyre with the spare tyre where you are.

If the spare tyre is not in the proper condition either or if the vehicle has more than one flat tyre, you will need to call roadside assistance and wait for them in a safe place. If your vehicle has RUN FLAT tyres, you can continue driving for up to 50 miles no faster than 50mph.

What causes a flat tyre?

A flat tyre can be caused by various things. The most common is a tyre puncture, due to driving over a nail or sharp object, for example. This can happen while driving on the road or manoeuvring in a private space like a car park. In some cases, it may be possible to repair the punctured tyre without replacing it.

Another common cause is a problem with the tyre valve, for example if the stem is loose or leaking, or if the valve is damaged and can no longer maintain the correct tyre pressure. Excessive tyre wear can also cause this problem, or a leak from the tyre bead (the part that sits on the rim).

Other possible causes of a flat tyre are acts of vandalism, collision with an object that causes the tyre and rim to bump or over-inflation of the tyre.

Less common causes include a leak from alloy wheels, driving over a pothole or speed bump, or the sudden collapse of the tyre’s structure.

How to spot a flat tyre whilst driving

There are several ways to spot a flat tyre while driving. Firstly, as we have mentioned, modern cars have a TPMS system, which continuously monitors the pressure of the vehicle’s tyres and alerts the driver in the event of a problem, such as excessive loss of pressure.

You can also pay attention to noises like bangs and sudden explosions, which often come with a loss of grip. Other possible signs of a flat tyre are the vehicle’s tendency to pull to one side, sudden problems with manoeuvring the car or a strange sound while driving.

How to use a tyre inflation kit

For a stress-free drive, it is important to have a tyre inflation kit in the vehicle, which contains everything you need to inflate a flat tyre and make it to a lay-by or service centre.

You need to stop in a safe place, turn on your hazard warning lights and put on a high-visibility jacket. Then you need to find where the puncture is, trying to visually locate the hole or pouring water on the tyre to see where air bubbles form.

At this point, you need to insert sealant into the valve, then inflate the tyre with the mobile compressor, connecting it to the car’s 12-V socket. Finally, you should go to the nearest garage and have the tyre checked to establish whether it can be repaired or must be replaced. In any event, it is important to always follow the instructions in the tyre inflation kit user manual.

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