Your automobile tires are at greater risk of blowouts in the heat of the summer. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warns that the heat can cause tire failure at highway speeds.
Tire breakdowns account for an estimated 11,000 crashes each year, the agency says. The most common factors include tread separations, blowouts, bald tires and underinflated tires. In fact, underinflated tires or worn-down tread are major contributors to accidents of this kind.
Furthermore, tires that aren’t properly inflated can also lead to poor fuel economy, sluggish performance on the road, longer stopping distances and greater stress on tire components.
How to Prevent Tire Failure
It’s very important to maintain your tires. Well-maintained tires improve the steering, stopping, traction and load-carrying potential of your car. In addition, gas mileage is enhanced by 3.3 percent.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has recommendations to reduce the risk of tire failure:
- Make sure your tire pressure meets the specific recommendations for your vehicle. You can find this information inside the car door and in your owner’s manual.
- Have a tire pressure gauge in your vehicle at all times. Tires lose one PSI (pounds-per-square-inch) every month. Check your tires on a monthly basis to ensure they are inflated properly.
- If you have a tire pressure monitoring system in your automobile, be aware of the warning light on your dashboard. As soon as it appears, take immediate action.
- Before buying new tires for your car, consult your owner’s manual. It will have exact recommendations for tire replacements. Each manufacturer has different guidelines for changing the tires after a certain period of time.
- Regularly monitor the tread on every tire. If any tire has tread that’s worn down to 2/32 of an inch or less, it should be replaced.
- Raised sections spaced throughout the bottom of tread grooves indicate that your tire’s tread is worn. When you see these signs, take note and replace the tire.
- Put a penny in the tread of your tires with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you are able to see the top of Lincoln’s head, your tire has less than 2/32 of an inch of tread and needs replacement.
Need Legal Help?
Car accidents can take place without warning. But if a driver does not maintain an automobile’s tires, a crash is more likely to occur. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a South Carolina automobile accident because of somebody else’s negligence, contact our South Carolina personal injury attorneys at Joye Law Firm.
Whether you need guidance on accidents involving distracted drivers, reckless driving or some other type of vehicle collision, call (888) 324-3100 or use our online form so our attorneys can offer you advice about your rights.
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