New Truck Owner? Be Aware of Your Truck's Limits

New Truck Owner? Be Aware of Your Truck's Limits

Methods of Keeping Safe When You Suffer a Flat Tire

Christine Brooks

When your vehicle suffers a flat tire, you don't necessarily have to be inconvenienced for long. A towing service can dispatch a driver to your location to either change the tire for you or tow you to a garage that can get the job done. Before you make the call to a towing company that services your area, however, you'll need to get your vehicle safely stopped on the side of the road or, if possible, in a parking lot if one is nearby and easy to reach. Here are some simple methods to adopt to control your vehicle when you realize that you have a tire that is going flat or that has completely burst.

Warn Other Drivers

Your first priority upon realizing that you're having a tire issue is to make your vehicle more visible to other drivers. The simplest way to do this is to quickly turn on your four-way flashers. Whether you've suffered the tire issue at night or during the day, the use of the flashers will send a message that something is wrong, and other motorists will ideally take steps to give you space.

Decelerate Carefully

The last things you want to do upon suffering a flat tire are slam on the brakes and begin to steer for the side of the road. A vehicle with a flat tire can be difficult to maneuver, especially when you use sudden movements. Avoid hitting the brakes and instead take your foot off the gas. This will allow the vehicle to slow down in a calm and controlled manner. This is especially important if the flat tire is on the front of the vehicle, as you'll need to have your speed greatly reduced before you think about steering.

Pick an Ideal Stopping Point

As you reduce your speed, look down the road and try to find a safe place to stop. On a highway, look for a spot where the guardrail isn't too close to the road. On a city street, look for a side street you can turn down or a parking lot you can turn into.

Steer Gently

As your speed decreases and you've identified a logical stopping point, begin to steadily steer toward it. Don't jerk the wheel; use gentle movements and hold the wheel with both hands. As you approach the spot at a low speed, put some pressure on the brakes to further reduce your momentum. When you're safely stopped, you can call your local towing service.


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About Me
New Truck Owner? Be Aware of Your Truck's Limits

My father had a pickup truck as I was growing up, and I loved riding in it. When I was finally old enough to drive, I found a great deal on a compact car that was too good to pass up on my part-time job budget. When I finally made enough cash to trade in my car for a pickup truck, I was excited to drive that baby around town. I went driving out in the country immediately to see what my new truck could do, but I got into trouble fast and got stuck in the mud. A tow truck was able to get me out, but my friends never forgot about that day and still tease me about it. I wanted to make a blog to share my automobile tips and what I have learned about tow trucks since then. I hope you enjoy my posts!