Your car breaking down while on the road is not the only time you should consider having your vehicle towed to a repair shop rather than driving it there yourself. Other mechanical issues can make your car unsafe to be on the road, and these can include tyre problems. Remember that a tow truck can typically replace your tyre with your spare if you have one, and some might even provide a new tyre that they install on the spot. Even if you don't have a spare, a tow truck can still tow you to a repair shop. Note what tyre problems should convince you to call a tow truck.

When belts are exposed

On the inside of tyres there are metal wires, called belts, that keep the rubber strong and intact. If these belts seem to be jutting out from inside your tyre, that is dangerous. When these belts are exposed, it means that your tyre has been severely worn down and is not safe to drive on. You can be at risk for a blowout with this type of damage as those belts won't hold the tyre together once they come out of place enough to be exposed. They also aren't meant to cover over the hole or worn area in the tread that is exposing them.

When there is a bulge

A bulge in the rubber of the tyres means that particular space has gotten soft so that an air pocket has formed. This soft rubber is at risk for breaking completely, meaning you could have a blowout when on the road. Don't try to simply push the bulge back into the tyre or otherwise fix it, as this can cause more damage.

When a tyre has a shimmy

A shimmy refers to a shaking of one tyre; you may notice as you try to drive that your car pulls in the direction of that tyre as it shakes and vibrates. This could be caused by a number of issues, including a bent rim that is not rolling straight ahead or a broken or missing lug nut. The lug nuts keep the tyre attached to the car and when one is broken or missing, the tyre could be pulling away from the rim so that it shakes and shimmies. In both cases, you may be at risk for having the tyre come off the car while driving.