How Far Can You Drive On A Spare Tire?

No matter your level of experience in driving, getting a flat tire is never fun. Getting a flat tire can raise stress levels, especially if it’s your first flat and you don’t know how to change it. Tires can go flat for a variety of reasons, something on the road could’ve punctured the tire, air can escape through the gaps between the tire and the rim as vehicle weight fluctuates through it, and cold weather can also decrease your air pressure. If you aren’t sure how to change a flat tire, check out our other blog post that outlines the steps you need to take to properly change your tire: Help! I have a flat tire! What do I do?

Now that you’ve changed your flat tire, you’re probably wondering “How Far Can I Drive on a Spare Tire?”, Well Trubicars has the answer for you: You should only drive on your spare tire for 80Km. Spare tires are designed to be used temporarily in emergencies, they aren’t designed for long-term kilometer use like normal tires are, as they have less durability and less traction. Furthermore, you shouldn’t drive faster than 80Km with your spare tire installed. Once you’ve installed your spare tire onto your car, you should take your flat tire to a tire repair shop or consider purchasing a new tire as soon as possible.

Normal tires for your vehicle can differ depending on the type and size of your vehicle. The same goes for spare tires. Oftentimes, your vehicle will come equipped with a spare tire that is located in the spare tire well. This location can vary from vehicle to vehicle, but most often, it is located at the rear of your vehicle, underneath the floor mats.

At Trubicars, our goal is to share our knowledge and driving experience with you. We believe it is your duty as an operator of a motorized vehicle to ensure that you remain safe and responsible behind the wheel. We have also collected some other tips regarding safety with spare tires. After you’ve replaced your flat tire with your spare, consider these safety tips:

• Check the Tire pressure: Since your spare tire is different than your regular tires, they have different pressure inflation needs, be sure to check the pressure of the spare and fill it to its proper pressure requirement.
• Give yourself time: Since your spare tire is different than your normal tire, be sure to give yourself extra time and space between vehicles to brake.
• Be Mindful of weather conditions: As we stated earlier, spare tires don’t have the same traction as your normal tires do, for this reason, be mindful that you may experience sliding.

If your spare tire is not in use, or you’re removing it from your vehicle, be sure to inspect it for any holes or extra loss of traction. Inspecting it before returning it to your spare tire well, ensures that the next time you might need your spare, it is ready and safe to install on your vehicle.

By taking the above tips into consideration regarding your spare tire, you can reduce any stress you might have about the use of a spare tire, and practice safe driving techniques with a spare tire installed. If you are looking for more information on How far you can drive with a spare tire, or other spare tire information, check out the Trubicars website!