Driving on a spare tyre

A huge majority of cars are bought with 5 wheels, 4 on the car and one hiding in the boot for emergency situations. Over the years, there has been a shift to cars sold with just the 4 installed as car manufacturers look to create more free space within the vehicle. Although it is advised to always travel with a spare tyre, it is not law, meaning that it’s always worth checking where the best place to store a spare in your vehicle is. Having to use the spare tyre in an emergency situation is something that a lot of us can dread, however there are some tips to help you if you ever find yourself driving on a temporary spare tyre.

Keep to lower speeds

If you are using a temporary spare tyre, it is important to keep your speed slower than usual. These tyres can even have limits that they can reach and this is usually around the 50mph mark. With the temporary tyres, they are often smaller in size, meaning that the vehicle shall be unbalanced for the rest of the journey. We always advise not to surpass 50mph as a safe point to keep the car under your full control.

Take extra care

Driving with a temporary tyre that is smaller than the others around it means that the control of the car is going to be reduced. This means that braking times will increase, along with grip and traction. Take extra care when completing your journey, giving plenty of space to the cars around you. If you’re on a motorway stick to the slow lanes and if it becomes necessary, your hazard lights can be used to alert those around you of the situation.

Traveling to the nearest garage

A spare tyre is not a permanent change for your vehicle and most of the time is only temporary for completing the journey you were on. Pull over and stop the vehicle in a safe place before looking for your nearest garage that can provide you with help, ensuring your vehicle is road safe again as soon as possible.