Unfortunately, tire maintenance is an easy thing for many drivers to overlook. Most car owners know the importance of regularly scheduled maintenance, but what can you do between oil changes? KFDX News Channel Three recently reported on the dangers of driving on improperly inflated tires, especially during the hotter months. While you might know that it can cause irregular wear and cause you to replace your tires more often, it’s also a huge safety hazard.
Properly Inflated Tires
According to Donald Spoon, of Rick’s Tire Warehouse in Lubbock, on average, a tire loses a pound of pressure each month. Go six months without checking your tire pressure, and you’re in danger of irregular wear, blowouts, flats and other tire-related problems. He also stresses that you can’t tell if a tire is low just by looking at it. In fact, two tires with a 10-pound pressure difference are visually indistinguishable. Cars built after 2008 will have tire pressure monitoring lights on the dashboard, so if you have an older car or truck, get in the habit of manually checking tires every month.
U.S. Tire Accident Statistics
- Drivers in the U.S. put over 2,969 billion miles on their tires.
- There are almost 11,000 tire-related crashes each year.
- Of those crashes, nearly 200 people lose their lives.
Be TireWise
Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lunched their TireWise consumer education campaign aimed at raising awareness about how to buy and maintain tires for years of safe service. Listed below are the NHTSA’s TireWise Tire Maintenance Tips for consumers.
TireWise Tire Maintenance Tips
- Check your tire pressure once a month.
- Check tire tread once a month.
- Have your tires balanced and your wheels aligned by a qualified technician.
- Rotate tires as often as the manufacturer recommends, (usually between 5,000 and 8,000 miles).
- Only purchase tires that are the recommended size for your vehicle.
Car Accidents in Texoma
If you’re not sure what pressure to inflate your tires to, check the sticker on the driver’s side door jamb. After any kind of car accident, it’s a good idea to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer about your options. If you have been injured in Wichita Falls or the surrounding Texoma communities this summer, contact the skilled team at the Altman Legal Group at (940) 761-4000 for a free case consultation.