Flat Tyre on the Road? What to Do and How to Stay Safe in Queensland

Flat Tyre on the Road? What to Do and How to Stay Safe in Queensland

Kristal had just flown back into Brisbane Airport when she found something nobody wants to see at the end of a trip: a completely flat tyre.

She had children waiting at home, was already tired from travelling, and suddenly the simple job of leaving the airport had turned into a roadside problem.

RACQ later published her story as part of its collection of Queensland roadside rescues. What stands out is not that the tyre was complicated. It was that a flat tyre can turn an ordinary moment into a stressful one very quickly.

That is especially true if the puncture happens somewhere less convenient than an airport car park — on the Logan Motorway, the M1, a busy arterial road through Logan, or a dark suburban street.

A flat tyre is one of the most common reasons Queensland motorists need roadside help. RACQ reported more than 74,000 tyre-related roadside callouts in FY25, and earlier data also showed flat-tyre events increasing as modern vehicles increasingly use lower-profile tyres.

The important part is knowing what to do before you reach for the jack.

First: Work Out Whether You Are Somewhere Safe

Your first problem is not the tyre.

It is where the vehicle has stopped.

If you notice the tyre losing pressure while the car is still moving, reduce speed smoothly and look for somewhere safe to stop. Avoid harsh braking or sudden steering.

On a motorway or highway, Queensland Transport and Main Roads advises drivers to exit the high-speed road if possible. If you cannot, move onto the shoulder or as far away from live traffic as safely possible.

Turn your hazard lights on. If it is night, leave your parking lights on as well.

Once stopped, ask yourself one question:

Would I be comfortable standing beside this wheel for the next 10 or 15 minutes?

If the answer is no, do not start changing it.

Traffic moving past at highway speed is a much bigger problem than a flat tyre.

For a broader breakdown-safety guide, see what to do if your car breaks down on a highway in Queensland.

Should You Change the Tyre Yourself?

Sometimes, yes.

If the vehicle is parked on firm, level ground, well away from moving traffic, and you have the correct tools and a safe spare wheel, changing it yourself may be straightforward.

But there are situations where it is better not to try.

Do not attempt a wheel change if:

• the car is close to live traffic
• the ground is soft, muddy, sloping or unstable
• visibility is poor
• you would need to work on the traffic-facing side of the vehicle
• you are unsure where the correct jacking point is
• the spare wheel is flat, damaged or unsuitable
• wheel nuts are too tight to safely remove
• the vehicle has additional damage beyond the tyre itself.

A jack is designed to lift a vehicle in the right conditions. It is not designed to make an unsafe roadside location safe.

If you are around Logan or Brisbane Southside and the car is positioned somewhere suitable for roadside work, flat tyre assistance can help with fitting a safe, serviceable spare.

What If the Car Does Not Have a Spare?

This is becoming more common.

Some newer vehicles use:

• a space-saver spare
• a tyre repair kit
• run-flat tyres
• no spare wheel at all.

Do not assume there is a full-size spare under the boot floor.

It is worth checking before you ever have a puncture.

If your vehicle uses a space-saver spare, read the speed and distance limitations printed on the wheel or in the owner's manual. Space-savers are intended to get you to somewhere the damaged tyre can be properly dealt with, not to become a permanent replacement.

If the car has no usable spare and the tyre cannot be safely dealt with roadside, the vehicle may need to be moved by a tow operator.

The Roadside Guy can help assess the situation and, where necessary, assist with roadside services and tow liaising.

Can a Puncture Be Repaired at the Roadside?

Sometimes — but not every flat tyre is a repairable puncture.

A small puncture through the tread area is very different from:

• sidewall damage
• a split or cut tyre
• a tyre that has been driven while completely flat
• exposed cords
• a bulge
• damage around the bead
• damage to the wheel itself.

A roadside plug may only be appropriate for certain straightforward tread-area punctures and should not be treated as the answer to every flat tyre.

If the tyre has structural damage, significant sidewall damage or anything that makes its condition uncertain, it needs assessment by a tyre professional.

The goal of roadside assistance is not to force every tyre back into service.

It is to find the safest sensible way to get the vehicle moving again — or recognise when it should not be driven.

Your Spare Tyre Can Let You Down Too

One of the easiest mistakes to make is checking the four tyres on the road but forgetting the fifth one sitting in the boot.

A spare tyre can slowly lose pressure while untouched for months or years.

Then the day you need it, you discover it is nearly flat.

Queensland Transport and Main Roads specifically recommends regularly checking tyre pressures and not forgetting the spare.

A simple habit is to have the spare checked whenever you check the other tyres or have the car serviced.

Also make sure the vehicle still has:

• the correct jack
• the wheel brace or required wheel-nut tool
• the locking-wheel-nut key, if fitted
• any adaptor required for aftermarket wheels.

Finding a perfectly inflated spare is not much help if the locking-wheel-nut key is sitting in a drawer at home.

What Caused the Flat Tyre?

Finding the cause matters because it can tell you whether another tyre may be at risk.

Common causes include nails and screws, potholes, road debris, under-inflation, tyre age, impact damage and worn tread.

Logan City Council notes that water is a major contributor to pothole formation, particularly after extended rain and flooding. That makes tyre condition especially worth watching as South East Queensland moves toward storm season.

After hitting a serious pothole, do not only look for a puncture.

Check for:

• a sidewall bulge
• a bent or cracked wheel
• new vibration
• steering pulling to one side
• rapid pressure loss.

If any of those appear, have the wheel and tyre inspected properly.

How Much Tread Do You Need in Queensland?

Queensland vehicle standards require tyres to have at least 1.5 mm of tread depth in the principal grooves across the part of the tyre that contacts the road and around the tyre's circumference.

That is the legal minimum, not necessarily the point at which a tyre performs at its best in heavy rain.

RACQ recommends checking tyres regularly and notes that deeper tread helps disperse water in wet conditions.

Look at more than tread depth too.

Cracks, bulges, cuts, exposed cords and irregular wear are reasons to have the tyre inspected.

What Does the Tyre Pressure Warning Light Mean?

If your vehicle has a tyre-pressure monitoring system, do not ignore the warning simply because the car still feels normal.

A warning can mean one tyre is losing pressure slowly rather than failing instantly.

If the light comes on:

1. Reduce speed and avoid aggressive steering or braking.
2. Find somewhere safe to stop.
3. Visually inspect the tyres.
4. Check pressures when it is safe and practical to do so.
5. Do not continue driving on a tyre that is visibly flat or badly damaged.

A slow puncture caught early may be relatively simple.

Driving on it until the sidewall is destroyed can turn a repairable problem into a tyre that must be replaced.

Five Things to Check Before Your Next Longer Drive

A two-minute look around the car can prevent a much more annoying afternoon.

Before a longer trip:

1. Check tyre pressures against the vehicle manufacturer's placard.
2. Look at the tread and check for obvious damage or foreign objects.
3. Check the spare tyre and make sure it is inflated.
4. Find the locking-wheel-nut key if your wheels use one.
5. Confirm the jack and wheel tools are actually in the car.

It sounds basic.

That is exactly why these things are easy to overlook.

Flat Tyre Around Logan or Brisbane Southside?

If the vehicle is somewhere safe enough to work and you have a suitable spare, The Roadside Guy provides flat tyre assistance around Logan.

The service focuses on practical roadside help such as fitting a safe, serviceable spare wheel and basic tread-area puncture assistance where the tyre and conditions are suitable.

The Roadside Guy does not operate as a tyre shop or supply replacement tyres.

If the tyre is badly damaged, there is no usable spare, or the vehicle cannot safely be driven, the appropriate next step may be a tyre shop or tow.

Sometimes the right answer is simply: do not drive on it.

---

Sources and further reading

• Queensland Government — Breakdown safety on motorways and freeways: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/vehicle-safety/crashes-and-breakdowns/breakdown-safety
• Queensland vehicle standards — tyre tread requirements: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/whole/html/inforce/2024-06-28/sl-2021-0114
• RACQ — Queensland motorists stall on car maintenance: https://www.racq.com.au/news/motoring/queensland-motorists-stall-on-car-maintenance
• RACQ — 100 years of roadside stories: https://www.racq.com.au/car/roadside-assistance/100-years/100-years-of-stories
• Logan City Council — Potholes and pavement repairs: https://www.logan.qld.gov.au/roads-transport-and-infrastructure/potholes-and-pavement-repairs