What to do when a tyre bursts on the highway
Hold the wheel firmly, do not brake hard and ease off the accelerator. Here is what to do, step by step, when a tyre bursts at speed.
Tyron Asia technical team · 2 November 2026 · 4 min read
Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands, do not brake hard, and ease off the accelerator. Let the car lose speed, steer gently to the emergency lane or road shoulder, then switch on your hazard lights and get away from traffic.
That is the whole method. The rest of this guide explains each step and what to do once you have stopped.
What a burst feels like
You will usually hear a loud bang, followed by a flapping or thumping noise. If a front tyre has burst, the car will pull towards that side, and you will feel it through the steering wheel. If a rear tyre has burst, the back of the car can feel loose or start to wander.
The natural reaction is to stamp on the brake. This is the one thing to avoid. Michelin warns that hard braking, combined with the pull towards the failed tyre, can cause a spin or a roll.
What to do while the car is moving
- Grip the wheel with both hands. Keep the car as straight as you can. Expect a strong pull and hold against it with firm, steady steering.
- Do not brake hard. Keep your foot off the brake for now.
- Ease off the accelerator slowly. Bridgestone advises lifting your foot gradually and braking gently only once the car has slowed. Drag from the burst tyre will help slow the car.
- Avoid sudden steering. Small, smooth movements only. Do not swerve across lanes.
- Brake gently once the car is slow and stable. Use light, progressive pressure, and only when the car is running straight.
- Check your mirrors and move over. Signal, and steer gradually to the emergency lane, shoulder or nearest layby.
- Switch on your hazard lights as soon as you can safely take a hand off the wheel.
Stop as far from the traffic lanes as you can. Bridgestone's advice is to pull over gradually and stop as far off the road as possible. Avoid stopping on a bend or just over a crest if you have any choice, because drivers behind will have less time to see you.
What to do once you have stopped
On a highway, the stopped car is your next danger. Passing traffic matters more than the tyre.
- Keep your hazard lights on.
- Check the traffic before you open a door. If it is safe, leave by the side away from the traffic.
- Get everyone away from the road. Wait behind the guardrail or crash barrier if there is one.
- Do not repair the car on the highway. Singapore's LTA and Hong Kong's Road Users' Code both tell drivers not to attempt repairs on the expressway or roadway.
- Stay in the car with your seatbelt on if it is not safe to get out. Call for help from there.
- Note your location. Distance markers beside the road help recovery crews find you.
Do not change a wheel next to live traffic. If you are close to moving lanes, call for recovery and let them do it.
Who to call
If anyone is hurt, call 999 in Malaysia, or 995 for an ambulance and 999 for the police in Singapore.
In Singapore, LTA says to call its hotline on 1800-2255-582 (free from landlines; charges apply from mobiles). An EMAS recovery team will tow your vehicle to the nearest designated car park. LTA advises waiting away from traffic, preferably downstream of the vehicle and behind the guardrail.
In Malaysia and elsewhere in Asia, call the expressway operator's emergency line, your insurer's roadside assistance or your recovery provider. Keep these numbers saved in your phone before you need them.
If it happens in a tunnel
Tunnels have their own procedures. In Singapore, LTA says to stop at the road shoulder where you can, switch on your hazard lights, and use the nearest emergency phone or the hotline. Then move to the raised platform on the shoulder, downstream of your vehicle. Stay in the car if it is unsafe to get out.
After the burst
Assume the tyre is finished. Michelin notes that running a tyre flat, even for a short distance, typically causes damage beyond repair. Have the wheel checked as well, along with any part of the car the flapping tyre may have hit.
It helps to know why it happened. Our guide to why tyres burst covers the usual causes and the checks that reduce the risk.
Preparing for a burst you cannot predict
Good tyre care lowers the risk of a burst, but it cannot remove it. Debris or a pothole can damage a well-kept tyre. The Tyron Multiband is a band fitted in the wheel well, under your normal tyre, that keeps the flat tyre seated on the rim so you keep your steering and brakes while you pull over. It does not prevent punctures or bursts, and it gets you a medium distance at reduced speed to a safe stop, so the steps above still apply. You can read how it works, or get a quote for your car.