Top 5 Tire Safety Tips

According to the Rubber Manufacturer's Association, there are an estimated 660 highway fatalities caused each year by under-inflated tires. This is reason enough to pay attention to tire safety whether you drive 20 miles to work every day or only use your vehicle on the weekends.

Following are five tire safety tips that might help avoid a serious accident on the road.

1- Balance and Rotate Regularly

The owner's manual for your car should specify how often you need to balance and rotate your tires. My standard rule of thumb is every 7,000 miles, which seems to work for my cars, but every vehicle is different. It might also depend on the type of tire you buy.

Balancing and rotating is essential for tire safety. Tire imbalances can lead to uneven wear on the tread, rough motion, and a tendency toward blown tires. If your car seems to vibrate at certain speeds, an imbalance might be to blame.

Some stores provide free rotating and balancing of tires for the life of the set when you purchase them. You might have to buy a separate warranty or product that includes those free services, depending on where you shop.

2- Maintain Tire Pressure

Your tire safety regimen isn't complete unless you regularly check the tire pressure. This is especially true in extreme temperatures, but you should make it part of your regular routine. If the pressure decreases, stop by a gas station to rectify the situation.

According to TireSafety.com, failing to maintain adequate tire pressure can lead to severe blow-outs on the road as the integrity of the sidewall and the inside of the tire is compromised.

3- Get Professional Repairs

If you find a nail in your tire or suffer some other type of minor damage that is repairable, take your car to a professional. Using over-the-counter solutions can lead to poor tire safety, particularly if you aren't educated in the repair of tires.

Keep in mind that, if you repair a tire in a way that is not recommended by the manufacturer, you might void any warranty on those tires. Taking your car to a mechanic is good for tire safety, but it's also good for your wallet.

4- Check the Tread

Tire safety also requires you to monitor the tread wear on your tires. When the tread is worn below 1/16 of an inch, it's time to get new ones. An easy way to test this is to place an upside-down penny into the tread groove. If the tread covers a portion of Lincoln's head, you're good to go. If you can see the entire head, your tread is too low.

5- Drive Safely

Slow down for speed bumps. Don't hit curbs or run over foreign objects in the road. Apply brakes at a reasonable distance when it's time to come to a stop. In other words, you need to apply common sense to your driving in order to observe tire safety.