The short answer is no, not on an ordinary tyre, beyond the few yards needed to get somewhere safe. A flat tyre offers nothing to drive on, and the damage from trying starts almost at once. The longer answer depends on whether the tyre is a conventional one or a run-flat.
What happens to a conventional tyre
With no air inside, the tyre cannot hold its shape. Drive on it and:
- The casing is crushed and torn within a very short distance, ending any chance of repair
- The wheel rim takes the load and can bend or score, especially on alloys
- Handling and braking become unpredictable, because the flat tyre drags and steers the car
What might have been a repairable puncture becomes a new tyre, and sometimes a new wheel, in the space of a junction or two.
When moving the car is unavoidable
Sometimes stopping exactly where the tyre goes down is more dangerous than creeping forward. In that case, move only as far as safety needs, off a live lane, out of a junction, into a lay-by, at walking pace, then deal with it properly using the steps for a puncture. The tyre is likely finished either way; the goal is your safety, not the tyre.
What run-flats change
Run-flats are the designed exception. Their reinforced sidewalls support the car after a loss of pressure, so they can be driven on for a limited range at reduced speed, usually around 50 mph for a distance set by the maker, enough to reach a garage. The trade-off is that once run flat they generally need replacing, not repairing. The markings that identify them are covered under run-flat tyre markings.
From the workshop: I've had cars come in on the rim, sparks the whole way, because someone wanted to get home rather than wait. Tyre's gone, wheel's gone, sometimes a brake line caught it. If it's flat, it's flat. Get safe and stop. A tyre is cheaper than a wheel and a tyre.
Sources and accuracy. This reflects standard guidance and run-flat manufacturer practice at the time of writing. Always follow the limits for your specific run-flat tyres. If anything here looks wrong, get in touch and we will check it and put it right.
Common questions
How far can you drive on a flat tyre?+
On a conventional tyre, only as far as it takes to reach a safe place to stop, measured in yards rather than miles. The casing is destroyed almost immediately once it is run flat, and the wheel rim can be damaged soon after. The cost of a short drive is usually the tyre and sometimes the wheel.
Will driving on a flat ruin the wheel?+
It can. With no air to hold the tyre up, the metal rim takes the load and the road, which bends or scores the alloy. A bent rim may not seal a new tyre afterwards, turning one bill into two.
Can you drive on a run-flat when it is punctured?+
Yes, within limits. Run-flats are built to carry on after losing pressure, typically up to around 50 mph for a limited distance set by the manufacturer, long enough to reach a garage. Once run flat they usually need replacing rather than repairing.
Is it illegal to drive on a flat tyre?+
Driving on a tyre in dangerous condition can bring penalties, and a flat or destroyed tyre clearly qualifies. Beyond the law, it is simply unsafe: handling and braking suffer badly, so stopping is the right call as well as the legal one.