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Do not deliberately drive over road spikes or a tire-deflation device. If you can see the hazard early enough, avoid it only with a normal, controlled maneuver that does not create a new risk. Do not accelerate, brake hard, swerve sharply, or attempt a technique intended to defeat the device. If your vehicle has already crossed one, stop at the first safe location and arrange roadside or emergency assistance. A vehicle can remain mobile after its tires have been punctured, but mobility is not proof that the tires or handling are safe.
Why road spikes are a serious hazard
A tire-deflation device is engineered to damage or puncture tires, not to act like a speed bump or ordinary road marking. The National Institute of Justice’s Guidebook for Less-lethal Devices describes hollow spikes that enter a tire and release air at a controlled rate. That controlled release can make the loss of pressure less dramatic at first, but it does not guarantee that every vehicle will remain controllable.
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The same guide warns that a vehicle may continue moving after its tires have deflated. A driver might therefore cross a device, feel the vehicle still responding, and assume the danger has passed. In reality, pressure may be falling, the tire may be separating internally, and steering or braking performance may be changing while the vehicle is still in motion.
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The safe objective is not to find a way to “beat” the spikes. It is to avoid contact when that can be done without an abrupt or dangerous maneuver, then get the vehicle and its occupants out of harm’s way if contact has occurred.
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What to do when you see a device ahead
1. Identify the hazard without fixating on it
Look for the complete traffic situation: lane position, nearby vehicles, pedestrians, barriers, road width, and any lawful route that remains open. A device may be placed across a lane, at a controlled access point, or in another location where turning around is restricted. Do not make a last-second move based only on the spikes while ignoring surrounding traffic.
2. Keep your response smooth and predictable
Use ordinary, progressive control inputs. Avoid hard braking, sudden acceleration, or a sharp steering movement. Those actions can cause a collision even if the tires never touch the device. The available official sources do not establish a universal braking, steering, speed, or acceleration technique for intentionally crossing tire-deflation devices.
3. Do not treat a gap as an invitation to cross
Some systems may have visible sections, hinges, or apparent openings. A gap can be deceptive because the device may extend farther than it appears, another section may be hidden by angle or debris, or traffic conditions may make the route unsafe. The cited official material does not establish a reliable motorist method for selecting a “safe” part of a device.
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- Accurate, Dependable Readings: Factory‑calibrated to ±1 PSI, so you can confidently match your vehicle’s recommended PSI (check the door jamb sticker). Ideal for monthly checks and road trips — consistent results every time, cold or warm.
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4. If avoiding it would cause an immediate crash, prioritize overall control
When a hazard appears too late for a safe avoidance maneuver, do not jerk the wheel or make an extreme correction. Keep the vehicle under control, warn other road users when appropriate, and be prepared to stop as soon as doing so is safe. This is harm-minimization advice, not a recommendation to drive across the device.
If your vehicle has already crossed the spikes
- Stay calm and keep both hands available for steering. The vehicle may continue to move even while air is escaping.
- Assess the vehicle’s behavior. Watch for a low-tire warning, a pulling sensation, vibration, steering that feels unusually heavy or light, a thumping sound, or visible tire damage. The absence of a warning does not rule out damage.
- Reduce exposure to moving traffic. Move only as far as needed to reach a safe stopping place, such as a protected shoulder or another location away from the travel lane, provided the vehicle remains controllable. Do not continue a normal journey simply because the vehicle still rolls.
- Stop and secure the vehicle. Select a safe position, apply the parking brake, switch on hazard warning lights where appropriate, and keep occupants away from traffic. On a high-speed road, follow local emergency guidance for staying inside the vehicle or moving to a safer area; conditions differ, so do not step into live traffic.
- Call for assistance. Contact roadside service, highway authorities, or emergency services if the vehicle is in a dangerous position, traffic is passing close by, anyone is injured, or the tire damage cannot be safely assessed.
- Do not resume driving until the tires and wheels have been inspected. A tire professional or qualified responder should determine whether the tire, wheel, valve, and related components are safe. A pressure reading alone cannot establish that a punctured tire is fit to drive.
Why a vehicle can still move after a puncture
The hollow-spike design described by the National Institute of Justice allows air to escape at a controlled rate. That differs from an immediate blowout, but “controlled” describes the device’s intended air-release mechanism, not a promise of stable handling. Tire construction, vehicle load, road surface, speed, weather, and the number and location of punctures can all affect what the driver experiences.
As pressure falls, the tire’s shape and contact with the road change. Steering response, braking balance, cornering ability, and heat buildup can be affected. A vehicle that feels acceptable while traveling straight may behave differently during a lane change or stop. For that reason, continued mobility should be treated as time to reach safety, not as permission to keep driving.
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What the official guidance does—and does not—say
| Source or context | What it establishes | How a driver should interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Justice / Office of Justice Programs, Guidebook for Less-lethal Devices (circa 2019) | Describes hollow spikes that release air at a controlled rate and notes that a vehicle may continue on deflated tires. | Expect delayed loss of pressure and do not assume a moving vehicle is safe. |
| Florida Department of Transportation, CMTP Overview | Discusses spike strips as a very-low-speed countermeasure. In its freeway off-ramp discussion, it warns that strips may not deflate wrong-way vehicles quickly enough, can create hazards for right-way drivers, and can be affected by debris. It also says these devices are not MUTCD-compliant as highway traffic-control devices. | Keep this warning in its highway-countermeasure context; it is not a consumer driving technique or a universal statement about every installation. |
| Milwaukee Police Department, General Order 2025-18 | Limits tire-deflation-device use to trained, authorized personnel and emphasizes member and citizen safety. | This is an agency deployment rule, not permission or instruction for motorists to cross a device. |
| San Francisco Police Department, 24-067 Tire Deflation Devices, published April 18, 2024 | Calls for extreme care to reduce injury or serious vehicle damage. | It reinforces the hazard’s seriousness but does not provide a public maneuver for crossing it. |
| UK Home Office, Road traffic devices: guidance for police and manufacturers, updated December 20, 2023 | Provides guidance within England, Scotland and Wales for police and manufacturers. | Its scope is jurisdiction-specific and should not be read as a universal rule for every country. |
Why “drive over them slowly” is not a universal answer
Online advice often suggests a particular speed, steering angle, braking method, or acceleration technique. The cited official material does not validate a universal procedure for a member of the public to intentionally drive over a tire-deflation device. Such advice would depend on the device design, vehicle, tire, road geometry, traffic, and the reason the device is present.
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Stopping and getting help safely
Choose the safest available stopping place
Stop away from active lanes whenever possible. A shoulder, refuge, parking area, or other protected location is preferable to stopping immediately beside the device or in a travel lane. Do not reverse toward the device or attempt a turn that exposes you to oncoming traffic unless directed by authorized personnel and it can be done safely.
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Make the vehicle visible
Use hazard warning lights when appropriate to the road and local law. Keep the vehicle’s lighting and warning equipment on if conditions require it. Place warning equipment only if you can do so without entering a dangerous traffic stream; do not walk into a live lane to set a warning triangle.
Tell the responder what happened
Report that the vehicle crossed a tire-deflation device and describe any warning lights, vibration, pulling, noise, visible damage, or loss of pressure. Give the exact road, direction of travel, nearest exit or landmark, and whether occupants are in immediate danger. This helps the responder decide whether towing, traffic control, or emergency assistance is needed.
Checking the tires after contact
Do not crawl under the vehicle or place your hands near a puncture while traffic is moving around you. If the vehicle is in a safe location and you can observe it without touching hot or damaged components, look for a visibly low tire, a spike still lodged in the tread or sidewall, fluid or debris, and wheel damage. Do not pull out an embedded object merely to see what happens; removing it can change the leak rate.
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A tire-pressure monitoring system may alert you, but the timing and accuracy of an alert vary. A pressure gauge is useful for routine checks, not for proving that a punctured or structurally damaged tire is safe. Have the tire and wheel inspected by a qualified professional before driving normally.
Routine preparation that helps before any tire emergency
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s TireWise guidance recommends keeping a tire-pressure gauge in the vehicle and checking tire pressure monthly when the tires are cold. Proper inflation can extend average tire life by 4,700 miles, according to NHTSA; that figure concerns general tire maintenance, not damage from road spikes and not a guarantee against punctures.
- Know where the vehicle’s recommended cold-inflation pressures are listed, such as the door-jamb label or owner’s manual.
- Keep a charged phone and know how to describe your direction of travel and location.
- Understand how your vehicle’s hazard lights and tire-pressure display operate before an emergency.
- Inspect tires routinely for visible cuts, bulges, exposed cords, or objects, and have questionable damage assessed.
- Do not store a pressure gauge as though it were a puncture-repair tool; it measures pressure but does not seal a hole or assess internal structure.
Situations that require extra caution
Freeway ramps and wrong-way incidents
Florida DOT’s discussion of wrong-way-driving countermeasures explains why a device placed on a freeway off-ramp can create competing risks: it may not deflate a wrong-way vehicle quickly enough, may endanger right-way drivers, and may be damaged or rendered less effective by debris. If you encounter a device in this context, do not make a sudden maneuver to avoid it while other traffic is present. Concentrate on collision avoidance, then stop and report the hazard when safe.
Night, rain, snow, or debris
Visibility and traction can make a device harder to identify and avoidance more dangerous. Glare, standing water, loose debris, and congestion reduce the margin for any maneuver. The correct response remains controlled vehicle operation and a safe stop after contact, not an improvised technique for straddling or crossing the device.
Passengers, trailers, and heavy loads
Additional occupants, cargo, or a trailer can alter steering and braking behavior after pressure loss. Because the available sources do not provide vehicle-specific procedures, treat any change in handling as a reason to stop sooner and request professional assistance.
Quick Recap
Common mistakes to avoid
- Accelerating to “get over” the spikes: speed does not make a punctured tire safe and can increase the consequences of a loss of control.
- Braking hard on top of the device: abrupt braking can create a collision risk and is not supported as a universal countermeasure.
- Swerving across lanes: an avoidance move can strike another road user or a barrier.
- Continuing to a destination: the vehicle’s ability to roll does not show that the tires remain structurally sound.
- Relying only on a dashboard warning: a warning may come late, and no warning does not certify the tire.
- Copying police-deployment procedures: agency policies govern trained personnel and do not translate into public instructions for crossing a device.
- Assuming every spike strip behaves identically: designs, installation, road conditions, and damage can differ.
A practical decision sequence
- Before contact: identify the device and surrounding traffic; avoid it only through a smooth, safe route.
- At unavoidable contact: do not make an extreme steering, braking, or acceleration input solely to defeat the device.
- Immediately afterward: monitor handling and warnings, reduce exposure to traffic, and move to a safe stopping place if the vehicle remains controllable.
- Once stopped: secure the scene, keep occupants safe, and call roadside or emergency assistance as conditions require.
- Before driving again: obtain a professional tire-and-wheel inspection and repair or replace damaged components as advised.
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