The ‘treaded’ tyres: just two in five drivers say they would fix a flat tyre themselves
- Every hour 41 cars experience flat tyres, punctures and blowouts
- Two fifths of drivers (40%) say they would fix a flat tyre themselves
New data1 from breakdown provider Green Flag reveals that UK drivers suffer an average of 41 flat tyres, punctures and blowouts every hour, or one every 1.5 minutes.
Green Flag’s internal data reveals almost 360,000 drivers were faced with a flat tyre last year. According to research commissioned by the breakdown provider2, two fifths (40%) say they would attempt to fix the issue themselves, over a quarter (29%) would call their breakdown provider, whilst 22% would turn to their partner or a family member to change the tyre for them.
The majority of drivers researched by Green Flag said that their car could be fixed at the roadside either using a full-sized spare tyre (34%), a space saver (15%) or a tyre repair kit / spray (29%). However, one in 10 drivers (10%) say that their car has no way of fixing a flat, and a further eight per cent are not sure if their car has a spare tyre available.
Many drivers seem unprepared for emergencies, but it might be because they are staying vigilant when it comes to checking the condition and pressure of their car’s tyres regularly. Nearly two thirds say they have checked the condition (62%) and pressure (63%) of their tyres in the last month. Some, of course, are not as prepared as others with around one in five (19%) saying they have not checked the condition for over six months and two per cent never check their tyres’ condition or pressure. This of course puts many drivers at significant risk of suffering a breakdown, or potentially a collision, if their tyre goes flat or suffers a blowout whilst driving.
Most cars do not provide spare tyres as standard nowadays and if drivers have purchased a car with a spare tyre, many will be unaware of it and will not have checked its condition at all. In fact, nearly a third of drivers (30%) say they have not checked the condition of their spare tyre in over six months. Similarly, over the same time period a fifth (21%) have not checked the pressure of their spare tyre, and one in ten (11%) say they have never done so.
Katie Lomas, Managing Director of Green Flag, commented: “While it is good news that drivers are checking their main tyres for pressure and any wear and tear, we encourage them to take just as much caution when it comes to their spare tyres. This will help drivers to avoid being caught out if they find themselves at the roadside with a flat or blown out tyre.
“And while calling upon a family member or taking a DIY approach to fixing a flat tyre can be good, nothing beats the peace of mind that comes by having your tyre replaced safely and securely by a breakdown provider or an expert.”
What to do in the event of a flat tyre
Green Flag supports customers in the event of a flat tyre, but some people prefer to change their wheels themselves. Here is what to do if your car suffers a puncture.
1. As soon as you notice you have a flat tyre, slow down and find a safe place to stop off the road. If you are on the motorway, do not try to change a tyre yourself (even if you are on the hard shoulder or in an emergency area).
2. Put on a high visibility vest and place a reflective hazard warning triangle plenty of distance behind your car (around 45 metres is the preferred distance), to alert oncoming traffic. Then locate the spare wheel, the jack, wheel brace and locking wheel nut key. All should be either under the boot floor, under the car or, in some SUVs, on the back door.
3. If you cannot find a spare wheel, or do not have access to one, your car may instead be equipped with mousse that can be squirted into the tyre through the valve. This is only a temporary solution to get you home and you should get the tyre changed as soon as possible.
4. To remove the punctured wheel and tyre, loosen the wheel nuts with the wheel wrench, but do not remove them yet. If you cannot see the wheel nuts, you may have to prise off a cover first. If your car has alloy wheels, one of the nuts is likely to be locking. There will be a key that will fit into the wheel brace to undo this.
5. Check the handbrake is firmly on and put the car into first gear for manual and park for automatic. Find the jacking point by looking in your car's manual and use the jack to raise the car so that the wheel with the punctured tyre is off the ground.
6. Now fully remove the wheel nuts and take off the wheel. If the wheel will not budge, call Green Flag or your breakdown provider: pushing and pulling it could bring the car off the jack.
7. Lift the spare wheel onto the hub, line up the holes and screw in the nuts until they are finger tight.
8. Once the wheel is secure, lower the jack and use the wrench to tighten the wheel nuts fully.
9. Check them all twice to be sure none is loose.
10. Alternatively, if you are not comfortable attempting this yourself, or have someone around who can help you, a breakdown expert can support with this.
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For further information, please contact:
pressoffice@directlinegroup.co.uk
Notes to editors:
1. Based on Green Flag call out data covering punctures, flats and blowouts for 2024 and adjusted to reflect the whole UK market and the number of drivers who fix their tyres themselves.
2. The research was conducted by Opinium among a sample of 2,000 UK Adults across the UK aged 18+. The data was collected between 13th May 2025 – 16th May 2025. Opinium Research is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
About Green Flag
With over 50 years' experience, Green Flag provides customers with breakdown cover 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Customers have access to a network of breakdown operators across the UK and mainland Europe (Euro Plus cover required). Green Flag is part of the Aviva Group.
Customers can find out more about Green Flag products or get a quote by calling 0345 246 1557, connecting via the Green Flag Rescue Me Application, or visiting www.greenflag.com