How To Deal With A Flat Tire
Flat tires are the worst. They strike when you least expect them, and they can derail your entire day. We’ve all been there, though: You walk out of your house to find your tire completely deflated. Or worse yet, the tire goes flat while you’re on the highway. Here’s the good news, though: it’s only flat on the bottom. (Yes, we know that’s an old joke, but we had to get it out of our system. Moving right along …) Our friends at Roadway Ready have some great insight into what to do when you’re faced with a flat — including a step-by-step guide to changing your tire.
Check Your Surroundings
You often won’t realize that you have a flat tire immediately. There’s a lot of pressure in your tire, so understand that it couldtake some time for the air to leak out of your tire. You’ll hear a sudden repeated thump as the flat tire hits the roadway surface, and then you’ll notice that your car is harder to control. Don’t slam on your brakes, because this could damage your tire further and potentially put you — or other drivers — in danger if the tire blows. If you’ve pulled off to the roadside because of a flat tire, check your surroundings to make sure that it’s safe to get out and examine it. This is especially important if you’re on the side of a busy highway or interstate. Turn on your hazard lights so that other drivers can see you and proceed with caution. If feels safe to do so, you can proceed with changing the tire.
If it doesn’t feel safe, you probably need to call roadside assistance.
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Preparation is Key
Like most parts of life, however, dealing with a flat is all about preparing for the unexpected. In an emergency situation when you don’t have a spare tire available, a can of Fix-A-Flat can be a great option as long as you’re not dealing with something like a blowout. But remember that your safety comes first. You can still drive your car at a low speed — 15 to 20 miles an hour — with a flat tire, over the course of a few hundred yards. This will help you get off the road safely to the point that you can address the issue. (And remember that this is just dealing with a flat, rather than a blowout … if you have a blowout, get off the road as quickly as you can after you regain control of your vehicle.
If you need help with a flat, contact us here at Mike Shaw Kia, and let’s see what our tire service technicians can do to help!
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