Tips for Practicing Proper Tire Safety
Keeping tires in good working order is a very important part of practicing proper vehicle maintenance and is also an important step in making sure you are safe while driving on the road. Checking vehicle tires for wear and tear as well as checking tire pressure and alignment is essential to making sure your vehicle is safe to drive on the road and also helps improve the car’s gas mileage. An easy way to remember the steps of tire maintenance is to use the acronym “P.A.R.T.”: pressure, alignment, rotation, and tread.
Another effective way to check the wear and tear on tires is to examine the tread. An easy way to do this is by using the “penny test” – this test very effective, and all it takes is one penny. Place the penny inside the treads of the tires and if you see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head over the tire tread, chances are the treads are low and the tries should be replaced. The tread on a tire is very important to maintaining proper tire traction as well as control, especially when road conditions are not ideal.
Tire pressure is also important to tire maintenance and safety. Experts recommend that car owners check their tire pressure on a monthly basis – this includes all four tires that are in use as well as the vehicle’s spare tire – and more often when the temperatures get colder. In order to maintain tires properly, the tire pressure should be set to the recommended levels at all times and tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 7,000 miles to help promote uniform tire tread wear.
For those owners with vehicles that pull to one side or shake, these symptoms could be a sign of an alignment issue. Additionally, accelerated or uneven tire wear could also be a sign of alignment issues. Regardless if you are seeing signs of issues or not, it is in your best interest to have the vehicle’s tires aligned every year. Also, keep an eye on wheel balance – wheel balance can be affected by unbalanced wheels and even normal tire tread wear and can cause faster wear on struts and shock absorbers.
By following these simple maintenance guidelines, it is possible to keep your vehicle’s tires in tip top condition, which is beneficial to both your car’s performance and your safety on the road.
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