Issue 1.13
You may want to pay closer attention to the quality and air pressure of the tires that are on your vehicle. It could save your life.
Bald or under-inflated tires can separate from the rim or blow out, causing a serious accident at a moment’s notice. These conditions also contribute to shorter tire life and worse fuel consumption. Twenty-seven percent of all passenger cars and 33 percent of light trucks are driven with at least one tire that’s substantially under-inflated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
To assure you’re riding on safe tires, follow these NHTSA guidelines and standards on tire inflation, tread and vehicle load limits.
Tire inflation:
Know the recommended air pressure for your vehicle and tires. This information can be found on your vehicle’s tires and in your owner’s manual.
Check your tires once a month with an accurate air gauge. To get a correct reading, you must check the air pressure when the tires are cold.
Tire tread:
Make sure you have the correct tire size for your vehicle. This can be found in your owner’s manual.
Check the tire tread. Tires should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Bald tires are more prone to damage caused by road debris.
Conduct the “penny” test if you’re unsure if you need new tires. Place a penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you probably need new tires.
Most tires have built-in tread indicators that consist of raised sections spaced throughout the bottom of the tread grooves. When these sections appear even with the outside of the tread, you should replace your tires.
Vehicle load limits:
Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual to find the recommended limit. The vehicle load limit is the greatest amount of weight a vehicle can safely carry with the vehicle’s tire size.
Know the vehicle capacity weight (VCW), the maximum occupant and cargo weight a vehicle is designed to carry. This is important to keep in mind when loading your vehicle or hauling items.
Orville Lucus has been an agent with American Family Insurance since 2004. For more information or for a free no obligation review of your insurance needs visit Orville at 720 South River Rd Ste C 135 in St George or call at 688-8182.