Flat Tyre? What to Do If You Get a Puncture in the UK

A flat tyre usually announces itself: the steering pulls to one side, the car feels heavy or unsteady, or a tyre-pressure warning comes on. A sudden blowout is more frightening, but the first rule is the same — do not panic, and do not keep driving on a flat tyre if you can stop safely. Driving on it can wreck the tyre and the wheel rim, and it makes the car much harder to control.

This guide covers what to do while you are still moving, where it is safe to stop, what kind of spare or repair option your car actually has, and when to stop trying and call for recovery instead.

If you are in danger, or broken down in a live lane, call 999 first — do not work on the car in moving traffic.

1. While you are still moving: ease off, do not swerve or brake hard

If a tyre bursts while you are driving, the Highway Code says to grip the steering wheel firmly and allow the vehicle to roll to a stop at the side of the road. Do not brake suddenly and do not make sharp steering movements. Ease off the accelerator, indicate when you can, and slow down gradually.

If the tyre is going down slowly rather than bursting, the same applies: slow down gently, switch on your hazard lights once your speed is under control, and look for the nearest safe place to stop. It is better to drive a short distance to a safe, level stopping place and risk damaging the wheel rim than to stop somewhere dangerous — but only drive to the nearest safe point, and go slowly.

2. Where you stop decides what you can do next

Stop as far from moving traffic as you can, on firm, level ground if possible. Do not stop on a slope or on soft ground if you can avoid it — a jack is not stable there. Switch on your hazard lights and put on a reflective jacket if you have one.

On a motorway, do not attempt to change a wheel or carry out any repair at the roadside. Follow the motorway breakdown steps in our earlier guide — get left, get everyone out on the side away from traffic, wait behind the barrier, and call 999 if you are in a live lane — then call for recovery. The guide is here: What to Do If Your Car Breaks Down on the Motorway in the UK.

On any other road, the Highway Code rule is: if you have a flat tyre, stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and only change the tyre if you can do so without putting yourself or others at risk — otherwise call a breakdown service. If the car is on a busy road with no safe space, if it is dark, or if you are not confident, call for help rather than working beside traffic.

A warning triangle, if you use one, goes about 45 metres behind the car on an ordinary road. Never place a warning triangle on a motorway.

3. First, check what your car actually has

Not every car has a spare wheel. Before you start, check the boot (and under the boot floor) for one of these:

• A full-size spare — a normal wheel and tyre. Fit it as in section 4, then get the punctured tyre repaired or replaced as soon as you can.
• A space-saver spare — a narrower, lighter wheel, for emergency use only. It is only intended to get you to a garage. Check the pressure, follow the speed and distance limits in your handbook and on the wheel itself, and do not drive on it for longer than is strictly necessary.
• A tyre repair kit — sealant and a compressor, instead of a spare, in an increasing number of new cars. It is a temporary fix to get you to a garage, not a permanent repair. Follow the kit’s instructions and your handbook exactly, and check whether the kit can be used on your type of damage — it will not fix a large cut, sidewall damage or a blowout.
• Run-flat tyres — reinforced tyres, often fitted to BMWs and some MINIs, that can keep going for a limited distance after a puncture. They are typically limited to around 50 miles at up to 50 mph, but the exact limit depends on the tyre and the car, so check your handbook. Even if you drive on them, the tyre must still be inspected by a tyre fitter afterwards.

If you are not sure which one you have, check your handbook before you touch anything. If there is no spare, no kit, or the damage is beyond a kit, call for recovery.

4. Changing a wheel safely, in the right order

Only do this if you are in a safe place, on level ground, with the right tools, and you feel confident. If any of that is not true, call for help instead.

You need the spare wheel, a wrench, a jack, a wheel chock (bricks can do the same job), the locking wheel nut key if locking nuts are fitted, and your handbook for the jacking points.

1. Apply the handbrake, put the car in first gear (or Park if it is an automatic), switch the engine off, and get all passengers out of the car.
2. Chock the wheel diagonally opposite the puncture — for example, behind the right-rear wheel for a left-front puncture — so the car cannot roll while it is jacked up.
3. Loosen the wheel nuts while the car is still on the ground. Turn the wrench anti-clockwise until the nuts can be turned by hand, but do not remove them yet. You may need to lever off a plastic wheel trim first, and the nuts may be very tight.
4. Jack the car up at the jacking point shown in your handbook, close to the punctured wheel. A small plank of wood under the jack helps keep it stable. Raise the car slowly until the flat tyre is about 10–15 cm off the ground.
5. Remove the wheel nuts fully, pull the flat tyre towards you until it comes free, and lay it flat on the ground.
6. Slide the spare wheel onto the hub, replace the wheel nuts and tighten them by hand.
7. Lower the car until the spare tyre is in contact with the ground, then tighten the wheel nuts fully with the wrench. Lower the car completely, remove the jack, and give the nuts a final check.
8. Check the spare tyre’s pressure if you have a gauge, or drive carefully to a petrol station and check it there. Pump it to the pressure in your handbook if needed. Stow the flat tyre and the tools in the boot.

Then get the punctured tyre to a garage or tyre fitter at the first opportunity. They will advise whether it can be repaired or must be replaced.

5. When NOT to change the wheel yourself

Do not change a wheel if any of these apply:

• you are on a motorway, on a live lane, or anywhere you cannot work well away from moving traffic
• the ground is uneven, soft, or on a slope, and the jack will not sit stably
• you do not have a spare, the spare is flat or damaged, or you do not have the jack, wrench or locking wheel nut key
• the wheel, hub or nuts are damaged, seized, or you cannot loosen them safely
• the tyre has a large cut, sidewall damage, or a blowout that a repair kit cannot fix
• you are not confident, or anyone helping you would be at risk beside traffic

In any of those cases, stay safe and call for recovery. Do not let anyone try to tow the car with a rope, and do not drive on a standard flat tyre to reach a garage — call for help instead.

6. After a flat tyre: get it checked, and check the rest

A spare, a repair kit and a run-flat are all temporary. Get the punctured tyre inspected promptly, and check the other tyres too. Tyres must be correctly inflated to the manufacturer’s specification, and cars, light vans and light trailers must have a tread depth of at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the entire circumference. The Highway Code advises checking tyre pressures weekly, before a journey, when the tyres are cold.

Before a long journey, it is worth checking the spare’s pressure as well, that the jack and wrench are in the car, and that you know where the locking wheel nut key is. A few minutes at home is far easier than finding out at the roadside that the key is missing.

Need recovery now?

UK Breakdown Recovery is a London-based, 24/7 vehicle recovery service for cars, vans, motorbikes and more. If you have a flat tyre and you are in a safe place, call or WhatsApp +44 7588 282876 for mobile tyre fitting / roadside tyre help or recovery, and tell us where you are and what has happened.

If you are in a live lane, or anyone is hurt, call 999 first.

FAQ

Can I drive on a flat tyre to reach a garage?

No — not on a standard tyre. Driving on a flat tyre can damage the wheel rim and makes the car hard to control. Stop as soon as it is safe to do so. The exception is run-flat tyres, which are designed to be driven for a limited distance (typically around 50 miles at up to 50 mph — check your handbook) to reach a garage, and must then be inspected.

Can I change a tyre on the motorway?

No — do not attempt a wheel change or any repair on a motorway. Get left, get everyone out on the side away from traffic, wait behind the barrier, call 999 if you are in a live lane, and call for recovery.

How far can I drive on a space-saver spare?

Only as far as is strictly necessary, to reach a garage. A space-saver is an emergency wheel, not a normal tyre. Follow the speed and distance limits in your handbook and on the wheel, check its pressure, and get the punctured tyre repaired or replaced at the first opportunity.

What if my car has no spare wheel?

Many newer cars have a repair kit (sealant and compressor) instead, or run-flat tyres. A repair kit is a temporary fix only and will not fix large cuts or sidewall damage. If there is no spare, no kit, or the damage is beyond a kit, call for recovery.