Flat tires are a fact of life. Even if you’re careful, and no matter if you drive a lot or a little, sooner or later you’ll likely get a flat tire. First: don’t panic! This is why you have good car insurance.

For those who’ve never experienced a flat, it feels like the car is suddenly shivering and pulling to one side. The steering might feel strangely unresponsive, acceleration will be sluggish, and you may hear the dreaded flapping noise coming from the wheels.

Here’s an easy four-step guide on what to do when you get a flat tire.

Step 1: Get safe

When a flat tire happens, or if your car’s tire pressure warning goes off, it’s important not to make any sudden moves: don’t slam on the brakes, and don’t make any big steering inputs. Slow down gradually and steer gently to pull over somewhere safe. Switch on the four-way flashers to let drivers around you know something’s wrong. Be warned: the more you drive on a flat tire the more damage you’ll cause to the tire and rim.

On the other hand, if your car is parked but you notice the tire looks flat (and it’s always a good idea to give all four tires a quick look before driving anywhere) then consider yourself lucky the flat tire didn’t strike while you were driving. 

Step 2: Check the tire

When it’s safe to do so, have a look at the tires. Usually it will be obvious which tire is flat, but if in doubt you can be sure by using a tire-pressure gauge to confirm. (Experts recommend keeping a tire gauge in your vehicle and checking the pressures no less than once per month.)

The correct tire pressures for your vehicle will be listed on a sticker on the driver’s doorsill. Just open the driver’s door, look down and you’ll see it. Note that pressures are listed for “cold” tires that have not been driven on recently.

If the tire is totally flat or damaged, skip to Step 4. But, if the gauge shows the pressure is only slightly low, try Step 3.

Step 3: Pump it up, if possible 

In some cases — for example, if you go to drive your car after it’s been sitting unused for a while — the tires might just be a little low on air. That’s perfectly normal. Tires can slowly lose air over time, and pressures change with the temperature. Even a slight drop in pressure can sometimes set off a vehicle’s tire-pressure-monitoring system. If the gauge shows the pressure is just a little low — and you can’t see any damage to the tire — you can try pumping it up.

It’s for scenarios like these that drivers should always keep a portable tire inflator in the trunk. These run on battery power or plug into a vehicle’s 12-volt accessory socket, and they can pump up the tires even if you’re miles from the nearest gas station. 

After pumping the tire up, try to listen and feel for any air leaks. If it all seems okay, be sure to check the tire pressure again soon after driving off to confirm. If the tire starts to go flat again, you’ve got a problem and the tire should be repaired or replaced by a reputable garage.

Step 4: Swap to the spare, or call for help

If the tire is completely flat and/or you see it’s damaged, don’t try to pump it up. You’ll need to swap to the spare or call for help. There’s a third option for owners of vehicles with run-flat tires (RFTs). These can be driven on for limited distances when flat; check your car’s owner’s manual in the glovebox for details.

For most drivers, when a flat tire happens, option one is to call roadside assistance for help. They’ll typically dispatch someone to help you swap the tire and get you on your way, or tow your vehicle. (Read up on your rights when it comes to towing and tow trucks.) 

Option two is to change the flat tire yourself. This assumes your car is even equipped with a spare tire and the necessary tools to change it. (More and more new vehicles don’t have spares.) Changing a flat isn’t difficult, but it can be daunting if you’ve never done it before. You’ll need to jack up the car, remove the lug nuts, remove the wheel, fit the spare, tighten it up, remove the jack, then tighten the lug nuts one last time. It’s a good idea to get familiar with the process before you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere. 

If you’d rather not change a flat tire yourself, or your vehicle doesn’t have one, well, that’s what the good people at roadside assistance are for.