AKRON, Ohio — Baldness may be beautiful, except when spring rains let loose. Don't reach for a hat, however; a thorough inspection of your tires may be a safer choice.
That's because motorists are facing a wet spring forecast, and it seems a slowing economy is delaying new tire purchases, according to officials from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
Worn tires and a forecast calling for significant rainfall – and perhaps flooding – are a recipe for disaster, Mark Cherveny, product manager for Goodyear auto tires, said.
Cherveny recommends that drivers inspect their tires for adequate tread depth to ensure that they can handle the puddles and slick pavement that springtime brings. An easy way to check tread depth is to use the penny test. Turn the penny upside down with Lincoln's head entering the tread groove. If you can see the top of his head, it's time to replace the tire.
To assist in battling spring rains, Goodyear recently revamped its wet-traction aquachannel tires, resulting in Aquatred 3 to handle changing climate data, which reveals America is getting more of its rainfall in heavy downpours now than early in the last century, according to a 1998 weather study.
Increased puddling on the roadway can make vehicles susceptible to loss of traction, Cherveny said. A heavy downpour or thunderstorm dumps rain at the rate of 2 to 4 inches per hour, building a film of water up to 0.08 inch deep on the road.