6 Easy Tire Safety Tips to Prevent a Tire Defect Accident

The road presents several dangers, many of which can be avoided my keeping your tires in a safe condition. However, tire maintenance is often overlooked and neglected.

Every month, 3 out of 4 drivers wash their car, while only 1 out of 7 correctly checks their tire pressure. According to former US Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, “it is extremely important to motorists’ safety that they ensure their tires have ample tread and are properly inflated. Motorists who drive on tires that are bald or substantially under-inflated risk injuries or fatalities.”

Essentially, it is only four rubber tires that separate the car from the road. As such, it is essential to keep up with proper maintenance of the tires for safety, as well as financial reasons. In fact, underinflated tires can lead to around $0.03 to $0.05 per gallon increased cost.

Here are some quick and simple tips to follow when maintaining your tires.

1. Maintain proper tire pressure: do not over inflate or under inflate tires. Under inflation is the leading cause of tire failure. Each automobile owner’s manual contains the desired tire pressure for the car. Read up on the proper inflation level for your tires and check the tire pressure on all tires (including spares) once a month. Often, tires do not look underinflated when they are already dangerous underinflated.
2. Rotate your tires: Rotating tires is an easy way to prevent damage and unnecessary wear and tear. It is suggested that tires should be rotated at the same frequency as oil changes.
3. Do not overload your vehicle and carry more weight than your tires or vehicle can handle.
4. Avoid road hazards: This can include fallen trees, broken glass, potholes or other obstacles that can potentially pierce tires.
5. Inspect tires for lacerations, cuts, slashes and other irregularities.
6. Tread Depth: Do not let your tire tread depth go below 4/32 as it can be dangerous and result in loss of control on wet roads.

The proper maintenance of tires helps to improve safety of the automobile, vehicle handling, the fuel economy of the vehicle, and increases the life span of the tires.

Although tires can be often overlooked, they are the base which supports the rest of the automobile. It is important to take the time out and give them their due respect.