A puncture on the motorway can be frightening — especially at high speed. This guide explains exactly what to do to stay safe, from pulling over and using your hazard lights to calling for professional help. Learn how to avoid motorway breakdowns in future with pre-journey tyre checks from Tyres.co.uk.
This is one of those questions that appears in most driving theory tests, taken when UK drivers first take to the wheel at the age of 17 or over.
But once you pass the test, it’s something that most of us don’t think about – at least until it happens.
Suffering a puncture on the motorway can be quite scary, especially given the top speeds that vehicles reach on the multi-lane motorways up and down the UK. However, armed with the right advice, you should be able to handle the situation safely and efficiently – getting yourself to a safe space where you can call your breakdown provider.
Here’s a quick guide on what to do when you suddenly find yourself driving a vehicle with a puncture on the motorway.
Stay Safe on the Motorway
The most important thing to do when you suffer a puncture on the motorway is to get yourself to a safe place away from the live motorway traffic.
This is for both your safety and the safety of other drivers on the road, as the speed of motorway traffic can lead to fatal collisions and accidents.
The first thing to do is to put your hazard lights on to immediately warn those around you that something is wrong. You then need to get yourself over to the left hand lane and pull into the hard shoulder or – even better – off the motorway completely. This may not be possible if there is no turning for several miles, which leaves the hard shoulder as your best option.
Get Out of the Car
Contrary to popular belief, your vehicle is the most dangerous place to sit and wait for help.
You need to exit your vehicle and move right back, off the road surface completely. Ideally this should be behind the barrier or up the bank of the motorway.
From here, you can call for help – making sure to leave your hazard lights on (and fog lights too if the visibility on the road is poor). The aim is to make your vehicle visible to other drivers and encourage them to move into the middle lane to safely skirt around you.
Never Change the Tyre Yourself
If you take nothing else from this article, make sure you remember this one simple rule.
Never attempt a tyre change or any kind of mechanical repair on your own vehicle while on the motorway. The conditions and the speed of surrounding traffic means that it is never safe to attempt to fix the damage yourself – you must always call on a breakdown provider like the AA or RAC for support.
Again, wait outside the vehicle come rain or shine. It may not be a pleasant wait, but at least you will be safe.
Once the breakdown team arrive, they will be able to help change your tyre safely or will tow you to a nearby garage for further assistance.
