What to Do If You Get a Flat Tyre on the Motorway — Step-by-Step

If you experience a tyre blowout or rapid deflation on a motorway, grip the steering wheel firmly, maintain a straight course, and gradually ease off the accelerator — do not brake sharply. Allow the vehicle to slow naturally, then steer carefully to the left towards the hard shoulder. Put your hazard lights on immediately and bring the vehicle to a complete stop as far left as possible, ideally with the wheels turned towards the barrier.

Once stopped, do not attempt to change the tyre on a live motorway hard shoulder — it is extremely dangerous. Exit the vehicle from the left-side doors and move behind the safety barrier, away from traffic. Keep well clear of the carriageway. Call for breakdown assistance from a safe position. If you are near an emergency roadside telephone, use it — the operator can pinpoint your exact location.

On smart motorways with no permanent hard shoulder, treat any All-Lane Running sections with particular caution. Use refuge areas where available and switch on your hazard lights to alert other drivers. Highways England advises drivers to use the Emergency SOS button or call 999 if you cannot reach a place of safety. Never walk along a live carriageway or stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic.