A flat tyre isn't the end of the world. Whether you're in the city, on the motorway or on a country road, the steps are the same: make it safe, assess, then repair or replace.
1. Make it safe
Slow down without braking hard, get off the carriageway if you can, hazard lights on. High-vis before you get out, triangle back up the road, passengers away from the traffic. On the motorway, get behind the crash barrier and call 140.
2. Assess without forcing anything
Look at the tyre: a nail visible in the tread (often repairable) or a cut/bulge in the sidewall (not repairable). Don't pull out a lodged nail — it sometimes limits the leak while you arrange help.
3. Don't drive on a flat
Driving on a completely flat tyre destroys the sidewall and often the wheel, and turns a repair into a replacement. If you must move the car a few metres to reach safety, do it very slowly, then stop.
4. Repair or replace
A clean hole in the tread can be repaired (a plug or a patch-plug). A damaged sidewall, a bulge or heavy wear means replacement — in pairs, for a balanced axle.
5. Bring the tyre to you
Rather than hauling everything to a garage, a mobile tyre service works on site and lets you drive away in your own car. We don't tow: for that, call road assistance (140) or your insurer.