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These days, when you get a flat tire, youll probably just flip out your cell phone and make a service call. Still, the time may come when that wont be possible. There may come a day when you actually have to do that dreaded deed: get out of your car and change the tire yourself.

When that day comes, youll want to be ready; youâ ™ll want to get the job done quickly, efficiently, and with as little stress and risk to yourself as possible. Read on, and prepare yourself.

Know the ropes.
When youre actually faced with changing a tire on a dark roadside, you wont want to be reading an instruction manual. One of the best ways to prepare yourself is to make a dry-run at changing a tire in a place and at a time that is convenient for you, such as in your driveway or a parking lot. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the process in optimum conditions. Once you can manage it in daylight, try it a few times at night.

Keep necessary equipment in your vehicle.
Necessary equipment includes a spare tire (preferably inflated), a car jack, a brick (to wedge against a front tire, if youre changing a rear one), a cross wrench, an air-pressure gauge, a flashlight, a clip-mounted light, and road flares. To be especially well-prepared, extra lug nuts in the appropriate size, a can of WD-40, and work gloves are also a good idea. For the sake of convenience, store these items in a single bag or carrying case in the trunk of your car.

Move the car to a safe location.
When youre driving and feel the tire blow out, make a conscious effort to get the car off the road and away from traffic. If youre on a bend when it happens, try to get the vehicle to where the road straightens out; that way, you wont be in a blind spot for oncoming cars.

Stay visible.
Leave your headlights and hazard blinkers on. Distribute the flares, making sure that theyre far enough away from your car to give approaching drivers enough response time to steer clear of your vehicle.

Prepare your worksite.
Gather all the rest of you tire-changing equipment and put it next to the flattened tire so that you have all your gear close to hand. If youve compiled your emergency kit into a single container or bag as noted before, these items will be efficient and easy to carry; you wont have to worry about dropping items and losing them in the dark, or having to make extra trips.

Get down to business.
Go ahead and change the tire, just as you practiced. Just in case, always remain aware of oncoming traffic as you work. Be ready to get out of the way quickly if necessary.

Wrap up loose ends.
Once the tire is changed, you can be on your way...but youre not done quite yet. Most spare tires are called 50-milers for good reason. Theyre not made for long-term or high-speed travel, so keep your speed under 50 miles per hour and stop at the nearest establishment where you can have your original tire fixed, or purchase a new tire as a replacement.

In the context of our busy lives, it may seem silly or pointless to devote precious time to preparing for a what if situation. We tend to think that our time could be better spent on other, more productive endeavors. When that fateful day comes, thoughâ ”that day, or that night, when you find yourself stranded on a deserted highway with your cell phone on the blinkâ ”those few hours of preparation will pay off, and youll be glad you spent them as you did.