Getting a flat tyre can be super annoying. Whether you’re going to work, heading into town, or travelling across the country, it can completely derail your day – and that’s without even mentioning the cost of a repair.
A flat tyre can happen anytime and anywhere, but naturally, the worst time for it to occur is when you’re travelling over a long distance. Adding to the frustration is the worry of being stuck in the middle of nowhere by the side of the road.
Thankfully, though, so long as you’re prepared, things don’t have to get super stressful. In this article, you’ll learn what you need to do to get back on the road as quickly as possible.
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Step 1: Pull Over Safely To The Side Of The Road
The most important thing to do when you know you’ve got a flat tyre is to pull over to the side of the road when it’s safe to do so. You’ll likely notice a loud thud or pop initially, and then, as more air is released from the tyre, you’ll start to hear a thumping sound with each rotation.
Many modern cars also alert you if there are any changes to tyre pressure, so if you’re lucky enough to own one of these vehicles, you might know you have a puncture before the car becomes totally undrivable.
Step 2: Take A Look At The Tyre In Question
Having brought the car to a safe stop and turned on your hazard warning lights, you’ll then want to step outside and assess the situation.
Crouch down and inspect the tyre, checking for any obvious puncture points or sharp objects that may have caused the problem. Many times, however, you won’t be able to find the exact source.
Given that you’ll need to replace the tyre anyway, finding the reason doesn’t help you a ton, but it can give you valuable information that you can then tell to the person who will come to repair it.
Step 3: Call for Help
Unless you have the know-how (and the tyre) to make the replacement yourself, you’re going to need to call a professional to help you.
Thankfully, highly rated mobile tyre fitting is now widely available, so you no longer have to pay the charge for a full breakdown service as you would in the past. These types of mechanics come and meet you where you’ve broken down, and re-fit a new tyre quickly and efficiently.
Step 4: Be On Your Way (And Maybe Book A Maintenance Check)
Once the mechanic has fitted your new tyre, you can be on your way.
That said, depending on why your tyre failed, you may want to book in with a mechanic for a general maintenance check. Some flats are due to other structural failures within the car, whereby the tyre itself is simply the weak point.
As such, it’s a good peace of mind to have everything checked over. This way, you can be fully confident that the car won’t randomly conk out on you. Hopefully, though, you don’t have to deal with a puncture any time soon.