Can You Still Drive with a Punctured Car Tire?
2 Answers
You cannot drive with a punctured car tire. If you find that your tire is leaking due to a puncture, you should immediately pull over to the side of the road and stop driving. Continuing to drive could result in the tire being completely ruined. If the sidewall of the tire is punctured by a nail, you also cannot drive. Even if the sidewall is repaired, it remains unsafe because the sidewall is the thinnest and most vulnerable part of the tire. Damage to the sidewall carries a potential risk of a blowout, especially if you plan to drive on the highway—you must replace the tire immediately and not continue driving. If the puncture is on the tread, which is thicker, the issue may not be as severe. A small nail might not even penetrate the tire fully, but you should still have it inspected at a repair shop to be sure. If your tire has been punctured by a nail, it is recommended not to remove the nail immediately. Instead, drive to the nearest repair shop before removing it.
I've personally experienced several instances of tire punctures. If a nail penetrates the center of the tire tread and the air leaks very slowly, you can actually drive at low speed to a nearby repair shop, but never exceed 5 kilometers. I remember one time when a nail got stuck in the tread groove, I stubbornly drove for 3 kilometers until the tire started smoking. The most dangerous situation is when the sidewall gets slashed by a steel bar—that time my tire suddenly went flat just after getting off the highway, causing the entire car body to tilt to the left. Now I always keep an air pump in the car. If the tire pressure warning light comes on, I immediately inflate the tire to check. If the pressure drops by more than 10 kPa in one minute, I absolutely won't dare to drive further. Also, remember to regularly check the spare tire—last time I wanted to use it, I found the rubber had already cracked.
