Tyre puncture considerations

What happens when I get a tyre puncture?

Have you ever gone out to the store, returned home, and noticed that your car has a flat tyre? It's not a pleasant situation, to say the least! However, it is not the end of the world.

Tyre punctures are often simple and inexpensive to repair, and in this post, we'll provide some advice about tyre punctures so you have an idea of what to expect when ending up stuck in the middle of the road.

Generally, your vehicle will come equipped with an air pump, a spare tyre (if available), or a can of air. These are the three items you should have on hand to help you fix the tyre. However, if you're unsure about what you're doing, don't do it. It is always better to wait for roadside assistance and avoid any safety issues.

Safety first

When one of your tyres has a puncture or your tyre pressure monitoring light comes on, it is recommended that you put your hazard lights on and carefully pull over to the side of the road away from all the traffic. Your hazard lights will alert other road users that your car is in trouble, and once safe, you should put your handbrake on and your car in park.

Stopping in the middle of the road can make a bad situation worse, by putting yourself, your vehicle and any passengers in a dangerous situation. Your safety is the first and most critical thing you should protect in these circumstances and your vehicle will safely move up to a few hundred metres at a slow speed even with a fully flat tyre.

If you are familiar with how to use the jack and spare tyre in your vehicle, you can change over to your full size spare tyre or space saver spare. Ensure that you never put any part of your body under your vehicle at any time, and always keep an eye on traffic coming towards you for your own safety.

If you are on a space saver tyre, or any spare designed for temporary use only, the next step is to get your flat tyre fixed as quickly as possible. Give our tyre experts a call and book your vehicle in to see the team at Tony's Tyre and Autocare.

Signs of a puncture

Sometimes, you might not realise your car has a puncture, however, there are some ways to find out when this happens:

• When you feel the car is moving unsteadily from side to side or the wheels are out of balance
• The TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) light on your dashboard is lit up
• When you find it difficult to turn your car’s steering wheel, which can happen due to a slow puncture that causes the tyre to progressively flatten
• When you feel the car steers from left to right, which usually occurs if there is a medium tyre deflation
• When the vehicle abruptly changes direction from right to left
• One of your tyres visually looks different from the others, such as a saggy sidewall

Causes of punctures

There are different reasons why your tyres can get punctured. The most common are:

• Construction waste. This can come in different shapes such as pieces of wood, metal sheets, steel components.
• Sharp rocks. When driving off road you might find sharp rocks along the way so it is important to check your tyres are in good condition for gravel surfaces.
• Bolts/screws. You might find bolts, nails and screws on the road anywhere and for whatever reason.

Can I drive with a punctured tyre?

While you can’t drive on a flat tyre, moving your vehicle a few hundred metres at no faster than 20 to 25 kilometres an hour will be fine. It is important to find a safe place to pull over without exceeding the limits of a punctured tyre as this is dangerous to you and anybody else in your vehicle due to the risk of a sudden and dramatic tyre blowout, which can result in losing control of the vehicle and causing an accident.

As previously said, the best thing to do if you have a flat tyre is to turn on your hazard lights and carefully pull over to the side of the road before changing to your spare tyre. You might also refer to the manufacturer's instructions on how to install a tyre or call the nearest tyre shop for assistance.

Your local tyre experts.

If you're having trouble replacing a punctured tyre, please contact the expert team at Tony's Tyre and Autocare for help, advice and replacement tyres. You can find our workshop at 1/402 Quakers Hill Pkwy, Quakers Hill with lots of convenient access and easy parking. Phone us on 02 9837 4455 to book your vehicle to see us, today!