In this blog entry, the professional Chicago roadside towing service team here at Towing Chicago will describe how quality tires can help you prevent issues with your car or truck.
How do worn out tires cause accidents?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through studies, have determined that worn out or under inflated tires cause 9% of traffic accidents. Tire issues that cause accidents can vary, with tires experiencing issues ranging from spread apart treads to total blowouts. Driving a vehicle with worn tires puts you, your passengers, and other people on the road at risk of accidents. It’s been estimated that around 9 people are killed, and 3,200 people are injured by accidents caused by old and worn out tires.
Tire Maintenance Tips
Once a month ,use a gauge to manually check tire pressure. Work with the recommended weight of pounds per square inch listed for each tire in your vehicle owner’s manual, or on the placard usually located on the inside of the driver’s side door. Keep a spare tire inflated at all times. By watching your tire pressure, you can easily notice signs of issues like small punctures or embedded nails that could cause your tire to lose pressure. You can also use a penny to measure wear on your tire treads. Put a penny in the tire with Lincoln’s head facing in. if you cannot see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tire treads are usable. If you can see the top of his head, you likely have less than 1/16th of an inch of tread left, which is the total minimum.
Remember, regardless of tread wear, we recommend tire replacements between every 6-10 years. Read your vehicle owner’s manual for instructions related to your particular tires.
Common Tire Issues
If your tires have wear on one edge, they need to be misaligned. Other signs of tire misalignment include the vehicle pulling to one side, or vibrations when driving. When you have your car inspected and tires realigned, also have your tires rotated. We recommend having tires rotated a few times every year to ensure even wear.
Wear on the tire’s center is a sign that they have been over inflated. Wear on the outside edge of tires is a sign they have been inflated too little. Underinflation can rapidly damage tires and severely impact how your vehicle handles. It will take longer for your vehicle to get to a full stop, and your tire wall will experience intense pressure that could possibly cause a dangerous blowout. Tires with inadequate inflation also seriously lowers gas mileage!