Space saver tyres are only good for speeds up to 80km/h. This could slow your progress to the next town or your nearest mechanic, especially when driving on a motorway. A car using a space-saver tyre has reduced handling abilities compared to one with four full-sized wheels and tyres.
There's no hard and fast rule about the distance you can drive on a spare tyre, but a general rule of thumb is about 50 miles at a maximum speed of 50mph. It's important to note that handling will be different with a skinny spare tyre, so you'll need to be aware of this when you're driving.
Fact: The spare tire enables you to drive to the nearest repair shop to have the flat tire inspected and either repaired or replaced. You should not drive over 50 mph and no more than 50 miles with a donut-type spare tire.
Is it legal to use a space saver spare wheel on a motorway? It is perfectly legal to use a SSW on a motorway, but travelling at 50mph is likely to put you at risk. Try to stick to the left-hand inside lane as much as possible. Try to avoid driving on motorways when a space saver wheel is fitted to your car.
So, how fast can you drive on a spare tire? The maximum speed of a spare tire is 50 mph, and you must not drive farther than 70 miles. Else, it would cause vehicle issues like tire wear, tire blowout, flat tire, or damage to car parts.
Safe driving speed
The maximum speed that you can drive on a space saver wheel is usually 50 miles per hour. Your saver wheel might say that it can go faster, but 50 is the safe speed to travel in dry weather. Of course, it's best to go slower if the weather is wet.
How long can you drive on a spare tire? Most space saver — or “donut” — spare tires are good for no more than 70 miles.
Explanation: Pull up on the hard shoulder and make your way to the nearest emergency telephone to call for assistance. Don't attempt to repair your vehicle while it's on the hard shoulder, because of the risk posed by traffic passing at high speeds.
No, spare tyres are not checked as part of an MOT. This is because the tyre is not physically fitted to the vehicle itself, and therefore is under no obligation to meet legal standards.
Your spare tire, be it a full-size non-matching spare tire or a compact spare, is typically a smaller diameter than your four normal use tires. It may be a slight half-inch up to a couple of inches in diameter difference and the width is usually significantly less than your factory tires.
You might be wondering, “What happens if you drive on a flat tire?” The truth is, you should never drive more than a few hundred yards on a flat tire, or you risk damaging your tire beyond repair. The best thing you can do when you see that you have a flat tire is to pull off the road and out of oncoming traffic.
Many vehicles are provided with a "limited use" spare tire, also known as a "space-saver," temporary spare, "donut", or "compact" spare tire — in an attempt to reduce cost, lower the vehicle's weight, and/or to save on the space that would be needed for a full-size spare tire.
No. Do not drive on a flat tire. However, it may be necessary to travel a short distance on a flat tire when pulling over to the side of the road. But driving on a flat tire is a surefire way to put your passengers at risk and seriously damage your vehicle.
Your Spare is NOT a Long Term Solution
While there are different sizes and types of spares, we suggest you keep speeds at or below 50 miles per hour and drive no more than 50 miles on a spare tire before getting your flat fixed.
Of course, it isn't illegal to not have a spare in your car, but the benefits are obvious. If you know how to even change a spare tyre, then carrying one will help you get out of any tricky situation should you find yourself in the event of a puncture or blowout on the side of the road.
After applying tyre foam, you'll usually be able to drive for a maximum range of about 50-100 miles (but hopefully you'll have checked into a garage and had the puncture permanently fixed before then). So there's usually that mileage restriction in place, but if in doubt, stick to a maximum of 50mph for 50 miles.
Because it is designed for use strictly in emergency situations, your spare tire will have very little tread and only a few sipes in the tread. It is meant to get you to a safe location or perhaps to a tire repair facility and not for everyday or long-term use.
Since spare tires are built smaller and lighter, going 50-70 mph causes the tires to wear out quickly. As mentioned earlier, it is dangerous to drive on a spare tire too long because it can cause damage to other parts of your car, such as brakes, transmission, steering system, suspension, and even car heating.
You don't want to replace your front tire with a spare since your vehicle often weighs more in the front, which puts excess pressure on a tire that's much smaller than a standard-sized part, potentially leading to a variety of issues like throwing you off course when you attempt to turn.
Double that if you don't have a spare tire around, and make it triple when you're in an emergency. If you're wondering how many miles you can squeeze on your flat tire. It's 50 miles or 80.4 kilometers. However, you should drive slowly on a flat tire since it doesn't have much traction or durability.
Driving on a slow puncture can be dangerous, as the likelihood of the puncture getting worse increases, reducing car control and braking distances. The tyres on your car are perhaps its most vital safety component; they might only have a small contact patch with the road but they're literally keeping the car on it.
Even if you have a slow puncture, you should stop to change your tyres as soon as possible. Driving with a slow puncture increases the risk of a blowout. Driving with a set of tyres in good working condition is crucial for your safety, your passengers' safety, and that of other road users.
Temporary, donut spare tires are not designed for long-range service. They are made to get you to a garage to have your tire either repaired or replaced. Driving on it for an extended period of time under regular driving conditions will result in a blowout in short order, so get a safe tire on your car immediately.
If you have a donut on your vehicle, swap it out with a full-size tire within 50 to 60 miles and replace the spare, Paul said. Full-size spares can be used for a longer time, since they match what's already on the vehicle.
Unlike your four regular tires, compact spare tires typically should be inflated to around 60 pounds per square inch; PSI far short of that level could fail and damage the wheel, as well.