National Tire Safety Week is May 28 through June 3 which corresponds with Memorial Day weekend and the traditional beginning of summer, when the busy summer driving season starts.
Tire safety and maintenance is just as important for drivers of trucks and fleets as it is for consumers. For truck drivers who put many more miles on their tires on all types of roads and weather conditions, tire maintenance and safety are extremely important. Maintaining the tires on your truck is a daily occurrence, but something that doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated, that’s why Cooper Tires offers the following tips on tire safety.
Regular Tire Maintenance
Maintaining proper inflation pressure in tires is the single most important factor in extending the life of any tire and in helping to keep you safe on the road. Both over and under inflation have negative effects on the tire by changing its footprint, which is the area contacting the road. Under inflation can cause excessive heat buildup and can potentially cause internal structural damage. Over inflation can make tires more vulnerable to cutting, punctures or damage from sudden impacts. When the tire is not contacting the road as the tire design intended, the tread area will also wear irregularly and therefore more rapidly. Correct inflation pressure is determined by the load carried for each tire.
Routinely rotating tires directly contributes to longer tire life, especially in areas of irregular tread wear. This also lets you or your service provider see the condition of your tires and make repairs or replace worn or damaged tires if necessary. Roadmaster recommends rotating tires when they are 50 percent worn, or even earlier if they show signs of irregular wear.
While rotating tires can help even out irregular wear, you still need to investigate what is causing the issue. Irregular wear conditions will lead to premature tire removals and can cause vibration and ride disturbances.
Tread Depth: How Low is Too Low
