Of all the maintenance issues a car can have, a flat tire is one of the most common. Luckily, many flat tires are pretty easy to fix. Still, driving on a flat comes with some big risks. For example, it can make your vehicle harder to control and lead to additional damage if you don’t handle the situation correctly.
So, what should you do when you realize you’ve got a flat tire? It’s a fair question! In some situations, driving a short distance may be your only option to reach a safer location. That said, a flat tire won’t hold up for long, and continuing to drive can quickly make the situation worse.
To help you stay safe and limit damage, we’re breaking down how to respond when you get a flat tire. We’ll also share a few simple tips to help prevent flat tires in the future.
How Long Can You Drive on a Flat Tire? Emergency Tips
In an ideal world, we’d always have a well-maintained car and smooth road conditions. But that’s not reality! So, instead of always expecting the best, it’s best to plan for the worst. Part of that is practicing defensive driving and preparing for unexpected car breakdowns, sudden road hazards, and changing weather conditions. (Here are our tips for driving in the fog and the best drive-train for snow.)
A flat tire is one of those problems most drivers will deal with at some point. Knowing how long you can drive on it and when it’s time to stop can help you avoid turning a small issue into a much bigger one. Here’s what you need to know:
What Is Considered a Flat Tire?
A flat tire is when your tire has lost enough air pressure that it’s affecting how the vehicle drives. It doesn’t just refer to tires that are totally deflated and sitting on the rim. Tires can also suddenly go flat after hitting a nail or a pothole, or gradually flatten due to a leak. Either way, they need immediate attention.
Is It Safe to Drive on a Flat Tire?
No! A flat tire can no longer support the vehicle you’re driving. The flat compromises control, traction, and braking, which can be disastrous on the road. Not only can the vehicle be a little harder to handle, but driving on a flat can cause the tire to separate from the wheel or blow apart entirely. This could lead to costly repairs or car accidents.
How Long Can You Drive on a Run-Flat Tire?
A run-flat tire is a special type of tire you can purchase for your car that’s made to continue supporting your vehicle after it loses air pressure. This allows you to drive for a short distance instead of pulling over right away.
How does this work? Well, unlike a regular tire that collapses the moment it loses air, run-flat tires have reinforced sidewalls that can support the vehicle’s weight for a short distance, even after losing air pressure. In good conditions, you can drive about 50 miles at up to 50 mph after a run-flat tire has gone flat.
These tires don’t come standard on most vehicles. However, you can purchase them at most full-service tire shops. The service teams will help you find the right tires and, in most cases, put them on for you.
What Happens if You Drive on a Flat Tire?
The tire shreds quickly.
When you drive on a flat tire, the sidewalls collapse and flex. In just a few minutes, the internal cords and steel belts tear apart, making the rubber peel, separate, or disintegrate entirely. This destroys a tire that you could have otherwise repaired.
Heat buildup can cause tire failure.
As the tire flexes without proper air pressure, friction generates excessive heat. That heat weakens the rubber and internal structure. Eventually, the tire can rupture or come apart completely while the vehicle is still moving. Again, this means there’s no way to repair the tire!
The wheel and suspension take damage.
The tire normally protects the wheel’s rim from road impact. But if the tire becomes deflated, the metal rim now supports the vehicle. This can cause the wheel to bend, crack, or become misaligned. As those components take damage, parts of the suspension, like struts, shocks, and control arms, take stress too. All this increases repair costs and makes the vehicle more dangerous to drive.
It becomes harder to control the vehicle.
A flat tire changes how the car responds to your inputs. Steering feels heavier and slower, and the vehicle often pulls to one side. These changes make turns, lane changes, and quick corrections harder to control, increasing the risk of losing control.
The tire loses traction and hinders braking.
A flat tire prevents the rubber from gripping the road the way it should. The loss of air reduces cushioning and traction, which weakens both acceleration and braking. This increases stopping distances and makes skidding or sliding much more likely.
How to Drive on a Flat Tire to Get to Safety
As we’ve made pretty clear, you should NOT drive on a flat tire. It’s extremely dangerous. At best, it can cause costly damage to your vehicle. At worst, it could lead to a loss of control and a collision. That said, we know it may take a few minutes to reach a safe place to pull over. With that in mind, here’s how to drive on a flat tire during those few crucial moments as you get to safety:
Step One: Turn on your hazard lights.
As soon as you realize you’ve got a flat tire, turn on your hazard lights. This alerts other drivers that something is wrong, signals that your speed may decrease, and encourages them to give you extra space.
Step Two: Keep your speed under 20 mph, if possible.
Assuming you don’t have run-flat tires, keep your speed under 20 mph whenever possible. If you’re on a highway or expressway with minimum posted speeds, follow those guidelines instead. Driving slowly helps reduce heat buildup, improve control, shorten stopping distance, and limit damage to your vehicle.
Step Three: Avoid sharp turns or sudden stops.
With a flat tire, your vehicle has limited traction and stability. Avoid sharp turns, hard braking, or sudden maneuvers. Your tire may not have enough grip to respond safely.
Step Four: Pull over as soon as it’s safe to do so.
Your goal shouldn’t be to make it all the way to your destination. Instead, aim to reach a safe place to pull over as quickly as possible. Parking lots and repair shops are ideal if one is nearby! But even pulling over on the side of the road is safer than continuing to drive on a flat tire for an extended period.
Step Five: Call roadside assistance or change your tire.
If you know how to change a flat tire, first assess whether you’re in a safe location to do so. If you’re on the shoulder of a busy road, calling roadside assistance is usually the safer option. (Here are our roadside safety tips for highway emergencies like this.) If you’re in a secure area and comfortable changing the tire, install your spare and continue cautiously.
Keep in mind that the type of spare tire you have matters. You can usually drive a full-size spare tire the same as you would a regular one. However, a temporary “donut” spare comes with strict speed and distance limits. In either case, a spare is meant to get you to a repair shop, not to replace a damaged tire long-term.
How to Prevent Flat Tires
Check your tire pressure regularly.
Regularly checking tire pressure is one of the best ways to prevent a flat tire. Under-inflated tires flex more, wear faster, and are more vulnerable to punctures on the road. Keep a tire pressure gauge on hand and add a reminder to your calendar to check your tires at least once a month.
Inspect your tires before longer drives.
Before you leave on a road trip, do a full vehicle inspection. You should check fluid levels, battery charge, brake pads, air filter, and, of course, tire pressure. You should also consider stocking your car’s emergency kit with things like a jack, a lug wrench, wheel chocks, and an aerosol tire inflator.
Here’s more on how to prepare your car for a road trip.
Rotate and align the tires every 5,000-7,500 miles.
Rotating and aligning your tires regularly helps them wear evenly and maintain proper contact with the road. When tires wear unevenly or become misaligned, certain areas of the rubber become thinner and weaker. As a result, they become more prone to punctures and blowouts. Sticking to a 5,000 - 7,500-mile schedule also extends tire life, improves handling, and reduces unnecessary stress on your suspension.
Replace worn tires as soon as possible.
One of the best preventative measures against flat tires is recognizing worn tire tread. Over time, normal driving causes tread wear. This reduces the tire’s ability to grip the road and protect against punctures.
The easiest way to check tread depth is to look for the tread wear indicators built into your tires. These are small raised bars that run across the grooves of the tire. The tire is worn out and requires replacement if the tread is level with those bars. You could always use the trusty penny test, too. In any case, if there’s significant wear, it’s time to replace those tires.
Avoid potholes and other road hazards when possible.
Even if your tires are in good condition, potholes, road debris, and other potential hazards can puncture the rubber and cause a flat. Slowing down, keeping a safe following distance, and staying alert to road conditions can help you avoid sudden impacts that damage tires and wheels.
Park carefully near curbs.
Scraping or pressing your tire against a curb while parking can damage the tire’s sidewall, which is one of the weakest parts of the tire. And it’s important to note: sidewall damage isn’t always visible right away. However, it can weaken the tire over time, increasing the risk of a sudden flat or blowout.
Pay attention to the way your car drives.
Changes in how your vehicle feels can be an early warning sign of tire trouble. Pulling to one side, vibrations, uneven handling, or a sudden drop in fuel efficiency can all indicate tire pressure issues or uneven wear. If you experience any of these, check your tires right away.
Consider getting run-flat tires.
Run-flat tires support your vehicle for a short distance after losing air pressure. While they don’t prevent flats, they can allow you to drive to a safer location or repair shop instead of stopping immediately on the side of the road.
It’s best to drive on a flat for as little time as possible.
A flat tire can affect even the most careful drivers. Knowing how to respond in the moment and how to prevent flats in the first place can make a stressful situation far safer and far less expensive. The key takeaway is simple: drive on a flat tire for as little time as possible, prioritize safety, and address the issue right away before it turns into a bigger problem.
For more vehicle safety tips, browse the Safe in the Seat blog. We’ve got all the need-to-know info for safer commutes, road trips, and daily driving scenarios.
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