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| If both shoulders of the tire are evenly worn (left), this may be an indication that the tire has been under-inflated. The tread wear indicators (top right) are eight horizontal bars, which are evenly spaced every 45 degrees around the tire's circumference. They are flush with the tread when wear is down to 1/16 of an inch. Scalloped wear (bottom right) will look like the tread blocks are uneven in height. |
Demere continued by saying, "I know that a little preventive maintenance will save you a lot of time, money and aggravation in the long run."
The following points are offered by Demere regarding road trip safety:
- Check tire pressure monthly and before any trip - Before hitting the road, make sure that you have a tire gauge on hand and know how to use it. Look for the carmaker's recommended tire pressure setting on the driver's door jamb or on the glove compartment door. Additionally, under-inflated or over-inflated tires can adversely affect gas mileage.
- Ride on quality tires - It's better to have high quality tires on an economy car, than low quality tires on a high-priced, high-performance vehicle.
- Proper alignment is important - Get your car's suspension realigned when you buy new tires. A suspension that is not aligned properly can wear out new tires after only a few thousand miles and adversely affect gas mileage.
- Rotate tires properly - If money is tight and you buy only two new tires, place them in the rear axle. Otherwise, your car could lose rear traction in the rain and spin out.
"It's important for drivers to feel confident behind the wheel. Knowing that your tires are in good condition can help build confidence and, most importantly, will help ensure a safe trip," said Demere.