Flat Tires And Poor Tread The Dangers Of Vehicle Neglect On American Roads

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While the winter season is starting to see its way out, your car still isn’t out of the clear yet. There are still quite a few weeks of snow, ice and rain to look forward to yet and your vehicle needs to be able to withstand anything that comes its way. A good used tire can do the double work of saving you money without skimping out on quality, giving your car the traction it needs to meet every challenge on the open road. If you’re not sure how to maintain the health of your used tire, however, you might want to brush up on some simple know how before visiting the repair shop.

The Cost Of Vehicle Neglect

Vehicle negligence is no joke. The American economy sees a loss of $2 billion every year due to drivers neglecting their vehicle — this can mean failing to install all four winter tires when the season rolls around, forgetting to change a car’s oil or routinely missing routine check-ups at a local auto repair shop. According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (also known as the NHTSA) determined that vehicles driving on tires under-inflated by 25% are three times more likely to be involved in a crash compared to their properly inflated peers. Check out these top-rated all-terrain tires for quality tires you can use all year round.

Check Your Tire Rotation

Maintaining your used tire will save you money and keep you safe. Tire rotation is necessary to ensure your tires are interacting with the ground consistently, all the better to reduce unnecessary wear and tear on the foundation. A tire rotation should be done every 7,500 miles or as often as the car manufacturer recommends. Experts also recommend you check your tire alignment every 6,000 miles or when you get your oil changed, whichever comes first.

Become Familiar With Tire Tread

What’s the purpose of tire tread? Good tire tread should provide as much grip as possible throughout all four seasons. A smooth or slippery tire, on the other hand, is unable to provide the traction you need to stop, turn and remain steady on an unsteady road. When your tires’ tread has worn down to 6/32nds of an inch or less, it’s imperative you get them replaced as soon as possible. Driving is dangerous, after all, and the last thing you want is to have your brakes compromised by insufficient tires!

Don’t Forget Tire Inflation

Last, but definitely not least, we have tire inflation. Your used tire needs to be properly inflated at all times to keep both you and other safe on the open road. Under inflation is known to result in unnecessary tire stress (meaning you’ll have to change them out sooner), irregular wear (affecting your tire tread) and loss of control (potentially increasing your risk for an accident). Think you can eyeball it? Think again. A tire can lose up to 50% of its air and still appear to the naked eye to be fully inflated.

Keep Your Tires Going Strong

Tire companies have more than enough new tires and used tires to keep your wallet happy. Whether you have all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, you need to have all four winter tires installed. They’re designed explicitly to counteract the treacherous nature of ice and will drastically reduce your risk for an accident over the holiday season. When the winter season is over, however? Your used tire should have proper tire tread, which can only be maintained through regular check-ups on rotation and alignment. Don’t be yet another drop in the sea of vehicle neglect — keep yourself and others safe by visiting your auto repair shop!