Driving on a flat tire is dangerous and can lead to expensive repairs that could have been otherwise avoided. However, if you have a tire blowout while you are driving, you will likely need to drive a short distance to get to safety.
The best-case scenario would be to not drive at all on a flat tire. But it is possible to drive with a flat tire if you need to. In this article, we share how far you can drive on a flat tire before you cause any serious damage to your car or put yourself at risk of an accident.
Driving with a flat tire is something you should avoid if you can. However, if you need to keep driving on a flat, it is possible to travel short distances at a low speed without causing too much harm. There is no set limit to the number of miles you can drive on a flat tire, but the further you travel the more damage you may cause.
Professional rally drivers often drive at high speeds for significant distances on tires that do not have the correct air pressure but just because they do this, that does not mean you should be zooming down the highway on a flat tire.
Professional tire fitters have claimed it is possible to drive up to 50 miles on a flat tire, at speeds up to 55 mph. While this may be possible, it does not mean you should do so. Driving on a flat tire can damage the rims of your wheels and cause irreparable damage to your tire.
Driving on a flat tire can also put the TPMS sensors at risk of damage, you don’t want to have a hefty mechanic bill when all you need to do is pull over and inflate the tire or install the spare.
Driving with a flat tire can be dangerous, especially if the rubber has worn away and you are just driving on the wheel rim. Here is a list of some of the damage that can be caused by driving on a flat tire:
A flat tire can sometimes be repaired with a puncture kit, especially if it has just gone flat over time due to a slow leak. However, when you drive on a flat tire the friction and heat from the road can damage the rubber and may even cause the tire to fall apart in time. If you damage your tire too much you will not be able to simply repair the puncture, you will need a whole new tire.
If you drive on a flat tire for long enough, the wheel rims can become exposed and will no longer be protected from the road by the rubber of the tires.
Driving on a flat tire can also put the car suspension at risk of damage. This can happen if you are driving on your wheel rims as the car will be off-balance and the suspension will be put under stress.
Ignoring a flat tire can put your safety at risk, as well as the wellbeing of your passengers and other road users. If you drive at high speeds for long distances on a flat tire, this can cause a complete tire blowout. A tire blowout is a sudden loss in air pressure in your tire that can lead to immediate deflation and damage.
If a blowout happens when you are traveling at high speeds drivers may instinctively try to brake but this can make the situation worse. Also, it can be difficult to keep the car straight and under control following a tire blowout, struggling to keep the car straight can lead to an accident.
We have explained that you should avoid driving with a flat and now we will provide you with our top tips on what you should do if you have a flat tire.
Realizing you are driving on a flat tire can be frightening, especially if you are on a busy highway in the fast lane! If your TPMS is reporting one of your tires is low on pressure or you can hear a loud noise and the steering wheel is vibrating more than usual, you need to try and remain calm.
Stress can impair your driving ability so try to take some deep breaths and begin to plan how you are going to get to safety.
If you notice you are driving on a flat tire and can not pull over immediately, put your car hazard warning light on. Your lights will alert other road users that there is something wrong with your car and they will hopefully give you the space you need to pull over.
As we mentioned earlier, driving at high speeds on a flat tire can cause expensive damage to your car and put you at risk of an accident. If you have a flat tire you will need to reduce your speed, the slower you go the better!
As soon as you are able to do so, pull over to a safe place and stop the car. Once the car is stationary, get out to assess the flat tire.
If you can not see an obvious puncture or any sharp objects in the tire, you may be able to just inflate the tire and get back on the road.
If there is a puncture you can simply use a puncture repair kit to solve the problem until you can get to a professional to make the required repairs. It is also a good idea to have a puncture repair kit and portable tire pump in the trunk of your car, especially for these kinds of emergencies.
If the tire is beyond repair you will need to install the spare. You can change a tire in a few simple steps. Once you have the spare tire on, you are safe to get back out on the road.
You may not know how to change a tire or your spare may be flat too. If this is the case you can drive to a professional to get the work done. It is not wise to drive on a flat tire unless, perhaps, in an emergency situation.
Drive slowly with your hazard lights on and stop at the first mechanic that you can find. Remember, the further you travel on a flat tire the greater your risk of causing expensive-to-repair damage.
The nearest mechanic may be hours away and you have, wisely, decided the journey isn’t worth the risk. If you have a flat tire and can’t fix the problem yourself, you can call for roadside assistance.
The professionals will either change your tire or perform the necessary repairs to your existing tire. If the work can not be performed at the side of the road, roadside recovery will be able to tow your car back to your home or to a car workshop, depending on what cover you have.
It is possible to drive for 1 mile on a flat tire but it is not advised. Driving on a flat tire can cause damage to your car wheels and rims and may even lead to a potentially life-threatening tire blowout.
You can leave a car sitting on a flat tire overnight but this should only be done as a last resort. It is not best practice to leave a car sat on a flat tire overnight as this can put stress and pressure onto the wheel rims.
The car rims were not designed to hold the whole weight of the car without the cushioning and support of the tires. If you can not repair a flat tire until morning, the best thing to do is to use a jack to elevate the weight of the car off the wheel.
You can drive on a flat tire in an emergency. If you absolutely have to drive on a flat tire, remember to put your hazard warning lights on and travel at a low speed. You should try not to drive too far on a flat tire but you may be able to get information from your manufacturer to find out the maximum speed and distance it is safe for your car model to drive on a flat tire.
You can drive 4 miles on a flat tire but you should only do so in an emergency situation. Driving on a flat puts stress on your wheel rims and can lead to suspension damage. The car tire is unlikely to be able to be repaired if it has been driven on for too long.
The distance you can travel on a flat tire is not set in stone. Each car manufacturer will have information on how far you can travel on a flat tire but the best thing to do is not drive on a flat at all.
However, professional tire fitters have claimed it is possible to drive up to 50 miles on a flat tire. The safest advice is to only drive as far as you absolutely have to and if you are in the middle of nowhere, don’t take the risk and call for help instead.
If you have a flat tire at home you can install the spare tire or repair the tire using a puncture repair kit. If this isn’t possible, elevate your car using a jack to stop the weight of the car from damaging the wheels. Keep your car elevated until you are able to get a replacement tire or puncture repair kit. If you do not live far from a car repairs shop then you could drive there very slowly with your hazard lights on.
Driving on a flat tire is something drivers should try to avoid. We know this is not always possible and there are many situations that mean you may need to drive on a flat tire. There is no set distance you can drive on a flat tire, the best advice is just to keep your distance short and your speeds low.
