Flat Tire? Here’s What to Do

Dealing with a flat tire is one of the most frustrating things for car drivers, and is even scary is some situations. If you are driving at high speeds when your tire blows, it not only can cause damage to the vehicle, but it could result in an accident or a collision as well, which could cause further damage. According to AAA, about one-third of roadside emergencies are tire-related. Whether you are driving on the highway or going slower on main roads or side streets when you realize you’ve got a flat, don’t panic.

Flat Tire Tips

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation offer these tips for what to do when you get a flat tire:

• Don’t panic
• Do not slam on the breaks
• Do not abruptly remove your foot from the accelerator
• Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands
• Maintain your speed if possible and safe to do so
• Once you have control, slowly reduce your speed by gradually releasing the accelerator
• Correct steering as necessary to maintain control
• If possible, look for a place to pull off of the road
• Once you stabilize the vehicle, continue to slow down and pull off the road if safe to do so.

Once you have safely pulled over and stopped the vehicle, you should turn on your emergency flashers and get out to asses the situation if it’s safe to do so. If you have emergency reflective triangles or road flares, place them around your vehicle to alert oncoming traffic of your presence. Next, inspect your vehicle for any damage. If it looks okay, and you have a spare on hand and the tools and know-how, you can change the flat tire.

How to Change a Flat Tire

You should only change the flat tire yourself if you have the experience, the necessary tools, and are in a safe place to do so. If you are on a busy highway with traffic flying by at high-speeds and you are alone, or if you don’t know how to change a flat, you should call for help. For a refresher on how to change a flat, follow these steps.

Steps to Change a Flat Tire

• Ensure you are pulled over in a safe spot and turn on your hazard lights
• Apply the parking brake
• Put wheel wedges in front of or behind the tires to keep the car from rolling.
• Remove the hubcap using the flat end of your lug wrench (if it is covering the lug nuts). Consult your vehicle’s owner manual for proper hubcap removal.
• Loosen the lug nuts with the lug wrench by turning them counterclockwise. Only loosen them at this point, do not entirely remove them until you raise the vehicle with the jack.
• Place the jack beneath the vehicle’s frame next to the flat tire. Once the jack is in position, raise the car until the flat tire is about six inches off the ground. DO NOT put any part of your body under the vehicle while using the jack.
• Remove the lug nuts the rest of the way.
• Remove the flat tire by gently pulling it towards you.
• Slide the spare tire onto the hub. Push the tire gently on until the lug bolts show through the rim.
• Replace the lug nuts and tighten them by hand at first.
• Lower the vehicle using the jack until the spare tire is just resting on the ground but is not bearing the full weight of the car.
• Tighten the lug nuts the rest of the way by turning them clockwise using the lug wrench. Use the full weight of your body to ensure the lug nuts are as tight as possible.
• Lower the vehicle fully to the ground and remove the jack.
• Stow your hubcap, the rest of the equipment, and the flat tire and drive slowly and carefully home or to a service station, if they are open, to repair or replace the flat tire.

No Spare or Can’t Change the Tire?

If you are not in a safe place to change the flat tire, or if you don’t know how to change a flat or don’t have a spare tire anyways, you will need to call for help.

Call for a Tow or Roadside Assistance

If you are stuck on the road with a flat tire, you can call your local towing company for help. Some towing companies not only offer the usual towing services, but they also provide emergency roadside assistance as well. If your vehicle sustains damage from the wheel blowing out, a tow truck can safely tow you to a repair shop or your home until you can call a repair shop to schedule an appointment. If the vehicle was not damaged, towing companies that offer roadside assistance usually have the tools and experience necessary to change a flat tire or temporarily fix the flat until you can get a new one.

What to Do to Prepare For Next Time

Before heading back out on the road, there are some steps you should take to ensure you are prepared for the next time you get a flat tire, or to keep from getting a flat again.

Replace the Spare Tire and Keep Tools on Hand

Spare tires do not last long. If you used your spare already, or if you didn’t have one in the first place, you should buy a new one. You should also keep the necessary tools and equipment on hand in case of another emergency. This includes a jack, a lug wrench, wheel wedges, gloves, a flashlight, and reflective triangles or road flares.

Pay Attention to Early Warning Signs

If you detect any of these signs while driving, you should immediately slow down and head to a technician to check your tires:

• A dragging feeling on one side of the car
• A popping or leaking sound
• Difficulty accelerating
• Difficulty changing lanes, turning or taking curves

Regular Tire Maintenance

Keeping up with routine car maintenance, including having the tires checked at every service appointment will help ensure the health of your tires. Though a flat tire can occur even with a new tire, you will have lower chances of blowing a tire if you keep up with regular maintenance checks.

Call Guy’s Towing Service for Roadside Assistance

Guy’s Towing Service doesn’t just offer standard towing services. Their technicians and trucks carry the equipment to handle a variety of roadside emergency issues, including changing a flat and fixing a flat tire with basic repairs. For 24-hour roadside assistance, you can count on, calls Guy’s Towing Service in Baton Rouge, LA, today!