Summertime is the warmest time of the year, and this can sometimes take a toll on vehicles driving U.S. highways. The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recently released a warning cautioning motorists to remember that hot weather can cause underinflated tires to burst, resulting in serious injuries and accidents. In the summer, more vehicles are driven long distances on highways, as many families will go on road trips during this time. The combination of the many miles travelled, the heat outside, and the heat of the roadway after soaking up the sun can sometimes result in a burst tire.
The NHTSA estimates that tire failure is the reason for about 11,000 crashes every single year. Oftentimes the tires will burst due to tread separation, or will experience a blowout. Bald tires can also cause problems as well as under-inflated tires. The NHTSA also says that under inflation of tires can lead to a poor fuel economy, sluggish handling, longer stopping distances which can cause rear-end crashes, and a greater likelihood for failure. All of these dangers not only heighten a driver's risk of an accident, but cause damage to vehicles.
Motorists can protect themselves and their cars through simply maintaining proper tire pressure. The NHTSA says that proper tire pressure is an important part of maintaining a vehicle. Tires that are properly cared for will allow a car with improved steering, stopping, traction, and load carrying capabilities. Also, maintaining tires will improve a vehicle's gas mileage by about 3.3 percent. The NHTSA has issued a variety of safety recommendations to help people maintain good tires on their vehicles.
First of all, the administration suggests that all drivers follow the recommended tire pressure in pounds-per-square-inch for their vehicles, You can clear this information for your vehicle by looking at the placard inside the car door or checking our owner's manual. You should also purchase a tire pressure gauge which you can keep in your vehicle. The tires will lose about one pound-per-square-inch once every month, so you will want to check your tires on a monthly basis to ensure that there is proper inflation. If the tires are not at the correct PSI, then you should correct this promptly.
Some cars are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system, which will result in a notification on the dashboard if your tire pressure is low. If your car is one of these newer models, make sure to pay attention to any notifications and try to right the problems immediately. You should also work to monitor the tread on all of your tires.
Tires with tread that is worn down to 2/32 of an inch or less are not safe and should not be driven. This means that you may need to get the tires replaced at this time. You can locate treadwear indicators by looking for raised sections spaced throughout the bottom of the tread grooves on your tire. When these treadwear indicators show up, this means it's time to get new tires.
You can also learn whether or not your tires need to be replaced by performing the "penny test." You will need to place a penny in the tread of your tires with Lincoln's head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincolns head, your tire has less than 2/32 of an inch of tread then you are ready to get new tires. Remember to always wear seatbelts when in the car and pay attention to all tire dangers.
Most owners' manuals suggest replacing tires every six years, but some tire manufacturers will recommend 10 years between replacements. If you have been injured in a car accident because of tire dangers, then you will want a car accident lawyer near you on the case. Use this directory to locate someone that can help you today!