Highway Tyre Puncture? Do THIS! 🛑🚗 (Safe Driving Tips), by Miles And Memories With Yogi on YouTube. 1 min 14 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 14 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel with both hands and stay calm. Do not stamp on the brakes or jerk the wheel, as that can send the car into a spin.
Ease off the accelerator and let the car slow down. Apply the brakes gently and steadily once you have control.
Steer slowly toward the left shoulder or a side lane. Aim for a spot well away from moving traffic, ideally past a barrier or on flat ground.
Switch on your hazard lights as soon as you start slowing. This warns drivers behind you that something is wrong.
Stop the car, put it in park or first gear and apply the handbrake. Turn the wheels away from the road if you are on a slope.
Get everyone out on the side away from traffic. Stand behind the barrier or well off the shoulder, never between the car and the road.
Place a reflective warning triangle about 50 to 100 metres behind the car if you have one. On a busy highway, skip this if walking back feels unsafe.
Change the tyre yourself only if you are confident and parked safely off the traffic lane. Otherwise call roadside assistance and wait in a safe spot.
Before any road trip, check the pressure and tread of all four tyres plus the spare, and make sure the jack and wheel brace are in the boot.
Tips and common mistakes
Never change a tyre while the car sits in a live highway lane, even for a quick swap.
If the puncture happens in a tunnel or on a bridge, drive slowly to the next exit or lay-by if the car can still roll.
Keep a warning triangle, torch and reflective vest in the boot so you are ready before a breakdown.
Check your spare tyre pressure every few months, since a flat spare is useless when you need it.
Questions
Should I brake hard when a tyre blows out?
No. Braking hard can pull the car to one side and cause a skid. Ease off the accelerator, hold the wheel straight and brake gently once you have control.
Is it safe to change a tyre on the highway shoulder?
Only if you are fully off the traffic lane and can work away from passing vehicles. If traffic is close or fast, call roadside assistance and wait behind the barrier instead.
What if I have no warning triangle?
Switch on your hazard lights and stay well off the road. Do not walk along the carriageway to warn traffic by hand.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
