Finally, the magic time of the year has finally arrived. It's National Tire Safety Week. But behind all the merriment and celebration of this special time are some serious highway statistics. The tire business, we are surprised to find, isn't just fun and games. Pep Boys, the big auto parts chain, points to government figures that show underinflated tires are responsible for 660 fatalities and 33,000 injuries each year.Even now that many cars monitor tire pressue, underinflated tires are still a problem. Just check out the video above, made last week at a demonstration in northern Virginia, and you'll see what we mean.
A survey by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, the tire lobbying group, found that 85% of motorists don't know how to inflate their tires. Really? We wonder if they know how to tie their shoes or eat with a knife and fork, never mind chopsticks.
Aside from safety, there's another compelling reason to keep tires inflated: 3.3% better fuel economy.
"Too many drivers fail to do one simple task every month that will reduce their safety risk and help our nation conserve valuable natural resources. Checking tire pressure takes just five minutes and it's worth every second," says association President Charles Cannon.
After inflation, pay attention to tread life. Pep Boys says tires must be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch. You've probably heard about this test: place a penny upside down into a tread groove. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, there is a proper amount of tread. If all of Lincoln's head is visible, a new tire purchase is recommended.
Built-in tread wear indicators or "wear bars" will appear on the tire when the tread is worn down to 2/32 of an inch. When the top of the "wear bars" are flush with the tire tread, the tire is worn out and needs to be replaced. LINK
Posts
