You’re driving down the street or highway when your steering wheel jerks and your vehicle suddenly veers to one side. You keep it on the road, but hear the sound of rubber slapping on concrete — a flat tire! If you don’t have roadside auto insurance, you’ll have to remove the tire yourself and replace it with a spare. Daniel Oliver - Farmers Insurance Agent in Minneapolis, MN, wants to keep you safe during roadside emergencies, so he offers the following guide to changing a flat tire:

• Pull Over: Find a safe place to pull over, and roll until you reach level ground. If you are on a freeway or busy road, try to “limp” along until you can take the next turn or exit. Once you are in a safe, flat spot, set your parking brake and engage the hazard lights.
• Remove Equipment From Trunk: Remove the jack, lug wrench, and spare tire from your trunk.
• Loosen Lug Nuts: Use the lug wrench to loosen your tire’s lug nuts.
• Set Jack & Raise Car: Consult your owner’s manual for where to place the jack. Set it securely, and use the lug wrench to raise the vehicle until the flat tire is above the ground. Remove lug nuts.
• Remove Tire & Replace With Spare: Hold the tire and spare by the sides — never place your hands between the tire and the pavement. Line up lug posts with the holes in the spare tire, and loosely screw the lug nuts on.
• Lower Car: Lower the jack until the spare just touches ground. Tighten the lug nuts before lowering completely. Lower the car the rest of the way, and remove the jack.
• Replace Tools: Put your tools back in your trunk, and fix the flat tire ASAP.

Daniel Oliver - Farmers Insurance Agent specializes in auto insurance as well as business, homeowner, and life insurance. He is committed to helping you protect what is most important to you, and he brings his expertise and experience to finding policies that meet your needs and budget. Visit his website or call (952) 925-4454 for free insurance quotes.