Tire maintenance is an often overlooked aspect of car safety as car owners often focus on various exterior aspects and functionality of the car, such as waxing and care, engine of automobile and radiator system, etc. The importance of properly maintaining your car’s tires cannot be overemphasized, as the tires are the only contacts between your car and the ground surface. Any damage done to the tires could result in unstable and potentially dangerous handling, especially when the vehicle is going at high speed. There are 4 main functions of tires and they are as follows:

* To support the weight of your vehicle: An average car weighs between 1.4 and 1.8 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of about 30 people. The air and pressure built up in your tire play the important role of supporting the weight of the car plus that of the driver and passengers on board.

* To absorb shock from the road: Tires, along with the car’s suspension system, act as shock absorbers to reduce the effect of bumpy roads felt by the car’s driver and passengers.

* To transmit traction and braking forces: Being the only contact between your car and the road, the rough surface of your tires provides traction when your car is moving and also provides necessary braking when your car is stopped.

* To change and maintain the direction of travel: the tires rotate according to the turning of the steering wheels, thus changing the direction of travel.

It is important to maintain your tires for a few main reasons:

1. Tires are the only contact between your car and the road. The proper level of pressure will ensure that it provides the correct level of shock absorption, required traction and braking, provides proper directional steering, and last but not least, supports the weight of the car and the passengers inside the car. 2. Like it or not, your tire continually loses pressure over time or every time your tires hit a hard object like a curb or climb over a high mound.

3. Tires may experience uneven wear between tires due to weight variance, under or over inflating tires will also result in uneven wear on each individual tire.

After learning why tires are important to the safe operation of your car and your safety, here are some tips to help you know how to properly maintain your tires:

* Know the pressure rating of your tires – This information is usually provided and can be found in the car’s owner’s manual, glove box or car door jamb.

* Maintain the required tire pressure by checking the tire pressure at a weekly or monthly interval and when the tire is cold, which basically means one that has not been driven for at least three hours. The reason behind is that tires that are ‘hot’ after a few trips will show higher pressure and therefore produce an inaccurate result.

* Tire Rotation – The main reason for tire rotation is to ensure even wear across all four tires. Car tires can wear at different rates due to the uneven distribution of the weight of the car or the passengers in the car (over a period of time). It is your responsibility, the vehicle owner, to know that the vehicle’s tires need to be rotated and to tell your mechanics when you want your tires rotated. The direction of rotation is usually provided by your car manufacturer; Otherwise, your auto mechanic will usually know how to rotate tires for the make and type of tire he’s using. Be sure to maintain proper wheel alignment after each rotation.

* Visual inspection of tread wear – From time to time you should check how worn your tires are, as worn tires can be dangerous as they only decrease friction with the road and thus affect the optimum stopping distance. Some tires come with markings that let you know when the tire needs to be changed, so keep an eye out for these markings and act accordingly when it’s time to change your tires. Another alternative to find out the tread depth is to use a Lincoln headed penny. Place the head of the Lincoln upside down and insert it into the tread. When the top of Lincoln’s head is showing (meaning the tread is shallow), it’s time to replace the tires.

* Before going on a long trip, be sure to check and maintain your tire pressure for maximum control.

* Lastly, even if you prefer to do most of the servicing yourself, it’s always good to have a trusted professional mechanic to check your car and your car’s tires as part of your regular maintenance schedule.

In conclusion, tires that receive proper maintenance will have the following advantages: * Proper tire pressure will protect against preventable crashes or breakdowns. * Reduce friction losses and therefore increase the useful life of tires. * Improve fuel efficiency * Optimum vehicle handling and lastly * Help keep your car in better condition and therefore increase the value of your car.

Take care of your car, and it will serve you well. Enjoy safe travels.