How far can you drive on a flat tyre?

Getting a flat tyre can be very frustrating – and, somehow, it always seems to happen at the most inconvenient time. It is not recommended you drive on a flat tyre – as this can put your safety at risk and compromise the vehicle’s performance. However, in an emergency, it is perhaps reassuring to know that you can travel several hundred yards on a flat tyre to reach a place of safety. Learn more about driving on a flat tyre from our guide.

How will I know that I am driving on a flat tyre?

Your flat tyre may not be entirely obvious – and there will not always be a loud bang or sound to signal that your tyre has been punctured. Your tyre may be impacted by a nail, or another sharp object, which will cause your tyre to lose air pressure over time. Your flat tyre may not always be visible when inspected.

Here are a few signs to look out for if you think that you have a flat tyre:

• If you feel that your driving control has completely altered, and you are unable to drive long distances without stopping
• Worn out tyre tread
• Excessive vibration when driving
• Bulging or blistering on tyre sidewalls
• Low tyre pressure/lack of inflation

What to do if I have a flat tyre?

A flat tyre can not only impede passenger safety, but it can also do a lot of damage to your car over time. Here are the steps you need to take when you encounter a flat tyre:

• Pull over to a place of safety – the most important thing to do is stay calm and act fast. Move your vehicle out of the way of any oncoming traffic so that you can assess the damage to your tyre safely.
• Tyre repair or replacement – next, you will need to decide whether your tyre needs replacing or repairing. Depending on how bad the damage is, you should determine whether you can drive your car to the nearest garage or call for roadside assistance. If you have a spare tyre in your car or a tyre repair kit, you can attempt to rectify the situation temporarily.  
• Find your nearest Merityre garage – you will need to find your nearest local centre, so you can get your tyre repaired or replaced.

Run-flat tyres

In the case of run-flat tyres, you can drive on a punctured tyre for a slightly longer period, giving you much more to drive to a local garage in the case of a punctured tyre than a standard tyre would allow. Learn more about run-flat tyres from our guide on if you can repair run flat tyres.

Here at Merityre, we have a wide range of tyres to buy from leading tyre manufacturers. For more information, get in touch with our helpful team or book a car service online.