Roadside Tire Assistance Guide

Protect people before the tire

If a vehicle is in a live traffic lane, unstable position, fire risk, medical emergency, or other immediate danger, call 911 and follow local authority instructions. TireAds is a marketplace lead service, not an emergency dispatcher. Do not attempt a repair or wheel change in an unsafe location. Tell any provider about traffic exposure, shoulder width, vehicle lean, hazardous cargo, poor visibility, weather, and whether law enforcement or a tow operator is already involved.

Send a dispatch-ready location

Provide the roadway or street, direction of travel, nearest exit or cross street, mile marker, landmark, facility entrance, and a callback number. A ZIP code alone is not enough for a roadside response. If sharing a map pin, also provide a plain-language location in case the link fails. State whether the vehicle can move, whether it blocks access, and what size service truck can safely reach it.

Identify the vehicle and tire need

Include vehicle type, unit number, tractor or trailer, axle position, complete tire size, wheel type, suspected damage, spare availability, load or passenger status, and whether the wheel, hub, brake, or suspension may also be damaged. Passenger drivers can photograph the sidewall from a safe position. Commercial fleets should provide account authorization, purchase-order rules, and any approved tire or retread substitutions.

Confirm provider scope and price

Before dispatch when circumstances allow, ask for business name, callback number, service vehicle identity, estimated arrival range, call-out charge, mileage or zone charge, labor, tire price, after-hours charge, payment method, cancellation terms, and what happens if the requested tire is unavailable. An estimate is not a guaranteed arrival time. Avoid sending sensitive payment information through open marketplace messages; use the provider's verified payment process.

Document the service event

Record request time, provider acceptance, arrival, work performed, tire brand and size, DOT identification when relevant, removed-tire disposition, photos, invoice, payment, and return-to-service time. Fleets should connect the event to the tire and vehicle record, note the removal cause, and preserve a failed casing when a technical or warranty review may be needed. Documentation supports warranty, vendor review, and future roadside planning.

Reduce repeat roadside exposure

After the immediate event, inspect the paired or dual tires, wheel, valve, inflation system, load, alignment, and surrounding components as appropriate. Review whether the failure involved pressure loss, impact, wear, age, repair, road hazard, or another condition. Use event trends to adjust inspections, spare policy, approved vendor coverage, tire inventory, and driver reporting. A roadside replacement restores mobility; it does not automatically identify or correct the root cause.

Sources and further reading

These primary and authoritative resources support the manual's research. Always use the current vehicle, tire, manufacturer, and regulatory guidance for a specific decision.

• Move Over: It's the LawNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness (TireWise)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration