Driving down the highway, Ricardo Laguerre, a senior biology major, noticed his car shake and lose speed. He pulled over and realized he had a flat tire. Thankfully Laguerre knew how to change a tire.
For licensed drivers who have their own vehicle, there is an important lesson that goes overlooked until it’s too late. Even those who don’t have a license or own a vehicle, knowing how to change a tire can be vital. You never know when being able to change a tire can make you a hero.
“It only took about 15 minutes and saved me from calling a tow truck, which would have been expensive,” Laguerre said. “My dad taught me how to change a tire when I first learned to drive because it is very useful and you never know what could happen.”
Changing a tire can be tricky, but the following tips will help you with the process.
According to dmv.org, here are the 10 steps involved with changing a tire.
1. Make sure you find a safe place to pull over to change your tire.
2. Make sure you turn on your hazard lights. The button is usually located on the dashboard near the steering wheel.
3. Locate the spare tire, whether it be under the car or in the trunk of the car, then use the wrench to loosen the lug nuts slightly.
4. Use the jack to lift the car.
5. Remove the lug nuts and take the tire off the car.
6. Place the spare tire on the car.
7. Put the lug nuts back on.
8. Lower the car back to ground.
9. Make sure nuts are tightened.
10. Put the old tire in the trunk and have it repaired.
There are some people who don’t like reading instructions, so here is a thorough YouTube video that can help: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=joBmbh0AGSQ.
It seems that men are most often the ones who know how to change tires, but it is extremely important that young women also know how to do it.
“Learning how to change a tire is on my list of important things I need to learn,” sophomore Kelly Zarnowski, biology major said. “Going away to college reinforces how important it is to be independent and self-reliant, even when your car breaks down.”
“I don’t really know how to change a tire, but I did do it once,” sophomore Daniel Bifalco, criminal justice major said. “I think it’s important for everyone to know how to change a tire because you never know when the skill will help you.”
Shaygne Rodriguez can be reached at shaygne.rodriguez@student.shu.edu.
