Having a flat tire can ruin your day completely. You’d not only have to pay for a new tire, but you’d also have been delayed from getting to your destination on time, since you may need to call in a tow truck if you can’t change your tire yourself. And of course, failure to properly respond to a flat tire can make your already bad day even worse.
Driving your vehicle on one or two flat tires can cause expensive damages to your vehicle. As you already know, your tire is the only thing that separates your vehicle from the earth. So driving with a flat tire at high speed can cause severe damages not only to the tires but also to the rim –which will only make the situation worse. In most cases, if the problem is caused due to a puncture in the tire, it can be solved by simply patching the hole. But if you choose to risk it and continue driving, you may worsen the condition further, requiring you to change the tire and rim altogether.
Is It Illegal To Drive On Flat Tires?
Although it is not clearly stated if driving on flat tires is illegal, but it is considered unsafe. And of course, anything unsafe is not allowed on the road. Also, you could be cited or booked for dangerous/unsafe conditions or something similar. Every state has basic laws on what is considered as dangerous driving, so you may want to check those of your state. Driving on a flat tire is clearly not safe –especially as we know that it may make your car skid toward one side of the road because it can be difficult to keep the vehicle straight. And again, it makes you drive slowly, and very slow driving may not be safe as well, for you and for other road users.
Driving on a flat tire may be dangerous, but it is also equally dangerous stopping immediately for the tire to be changed. So if it is possible, you may try to drive to the nearest safe place. Sometimes, the safe place may be little far away, you have to decide if driving your car there is the best option (causing less harm to your rim –if so, then drive there). In this case, you should drive your car there at a very slow speed, although this may adversely affect your rim.
What to Do When You Do Have a Flat tire?
When a flat tire occurs, you need to understand that these things happen, so you don’t have to panic at all. If you have a spare tire supplied, try to maneuver to the side of the road if you are in a safe environment, or get a tow truck to tow your car to a local shop if you cannot change the flat tire yourself. While this may mean a small inconvenience or even an additional cost, it is only a short term loss since the damage done to your tire or rim will be minimal.
To avoid having a flat tire and being stranded on the road, always ensure you have a spare tire, confirm that the pressure in your tire is normal, and maintain other safety precautions, before you leave, and during the journey.