Proper Tire Maintenance

It is so important to be aware and monitor the part of your car that is actually touching the road you drive on. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration there were “738 total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in 2017 in tire – related crashes”. 

The most effective thing you can do to avoid a flat tire or blowout is to keep up with the maintenance of your tires. Not only with this keep you safer overall, it will also save you money. In fact, “Properly inflating your tires can save you as much as 11 cents per gallon on fuel. Yet only 19 percent of consumers properly inflate their tires.” 
Tires can also be very expensive to replace so keep in mind that “properly inflated tires can extend the average life of a tire by 4,700 miles.”

The five areas you should pay closest attention to when it comes to your tires are:

1. Tire Pressure

Check the pressure of all tires at least once a month. The proper inflation pressure can be found on the drivers side door edge or owners manual.

2. Tire Tread

“Tires are not safe and should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch.”

3. Balance and alignment

Have your balance and alignment checked properly by a technician to maximize the life of your tires

4. Tire Rotation

“Rotating your tires can help reduce irregular wear, which will help your tires last longer and maintain the fuel efficiency of your tires.” Rotate every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Some cars are not able to have their tires rotated. Check owners manual to ensure this is possible. 

5. Tire Size

“To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original tires or another size recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.”