A flat tire can be a very difficult situation. You’ll likely need to pull to the side of the road to change it. This isn’t the time to be checking that you have a spare tire or other safety tools. These objects should be readily available before your tire goes flat. Here are some of the things that you should ensure you have before you suffer the need for a car tire change.
Spare Tire
Many people don’t even look to see if they have a spare tire until another tire goes flat. In addition to ensuring that you do have a spare tire, you should know how to get the tire out and know where your jack is. This will ensure that you don’t have any trouble getting it out. When you have a flat tire, it could happen at night or some other inopportune time. Knowing where these things are beforehand will ensure that you don’t have to dig through your trunk in the dark to find your tire or jack.
Light
As previously mentioned, your flat tire might occur while you’re driving at night. It might also occur in an area where there aren’t street lights. This could become a dangerous situation and make it difficult to see. You should be prepared should this situation arise. That means having flashlights that work or other lighting mechanisms. It might be difficult to hold a flashlight while you change your tire so you should have some light that can shine on your car from the ground. This will allow you to use both of your hands while changing the tire.
Hazard Reflectors
Most drivers don’t have hazard reflectors in their car but this can be a useful tool. You want to make sure that other cars can see you when you’re on the side of the road. This is especially important when you’re on a busy road, such as a highway. While you can put your hazard lights on, hazard reflectors allow you to provide more space between approaching cars and you on the side of the road. The earlier they know you’re stopped, the safer you’ll be. Hazard reflectors will allow you to create as much space as you need.
It’s important to always be prepared for your tire going flat. There are certain objects that should be in your car at all times so that you’re prepared to make the change safely, regardless of where you are. These are three things that you should always ensure are in your vehicle for a car tire change.
