Driving on a flat tyre is not safe. Once a tyre has lost its air it can no longer support the car properly, steering and braking suffer, and within a very short distance you'll destroy the tyre and risk damaging the alloy, the brakes and even the suspension. The only acceptable movement is a few metres at walking pace to reach a safe spot.
What happens when you drive on a flat
The deflated sidewall folds under the rim and overheats almost instantly. The tyre shreds, the metal rim contacts the road, and you can lose directional control, particularly at speed or in a corner. A repairable puncture quickly becomes a guaranteed new tyre, and possibly a new wheel.
What to do instead
- Slow down gradually and avoid braking hard or swerving.
- Pull over somewhere flat, firm and away from traffic.
- Hazards on, and on a motorway get behind the barrier if you can.
- Call for help rather than attempting to drive on.
Run-flat tyres are the exception, sort of
Run-flat tyres are designed to be driven on after a puncture, but only for a limited distance (typically around 50 miles) and at reduced speed (usually up to 50mph). They are the only tyres engineered for this, and even then the tyre usually needs replacing afterwards.
Stuck with a flat right now?
Don't risk the rim. Our 24-hour mobile tyre fitters come to wherever you've stopped across London and Birmingham, usually within the hour, and either repair the puncture or fit a replacement on the spot. Book a rescue or call now.
