Warmer Weather Effects on Tires – QuickTrick Seasonal Tip

To prepare yur car for vacation or a cross country move, make sure you read these tips and more on the Safe Car website.  You may be aware of these things, but there is a good chance your spouse, kids and even a parent are not aware.  So please share the information and save some hassles for all of us!

As the weather warms up, it’s important for drivers to ensure their tires are properly inflated. Make sure you inspect your tires regularly and maintain the proper inflation before you hit the road or the track.

Data from the Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that over the five-year period from 2005 to 2009, nearly 3,400 people died, and an estimated 116,000 were injured, in tire-related crashes.

Improperly maintained tires can contribute to a crash at any time of year, but  it is particularly critical for motorists to check tires during hot weather, when families and luggage often overload vehicles for long vacation trips.  Underinflated tires spinning on hot asphalt for extended periods of time can be a recipe for disaster.

The Highway Department urges motorists to check their tire pressure before long trips and to inspect tires periodically. Motorists should also be aware that aging tires and hot weather can be a potentially deadly combination, as older tires are more susceptible to heat stress, especially if they are not properly inflated. Motorists should check the tire sidewall to see how old their tires are, and to check with the tire manufacturer or the vehicle owner’s manual for recommendations on how often to change tires.

Properly inflated tires will also improve a vehicle’s fuel economy and help stretch the family dollar at the gas station. According to the Department of Energy’s fueleconomy.gov Web site, under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 PSI (pound per square inch) drop in pressure of all four tires.

For example, for a vehicle with a fuel-economy rating of 30 miles per gallon and a 35 PSI tire pressure recommendation, a drop of 25 percent in tire pressure would equate to a loss of 2.6 percent in fuel economy, or a drop of 0.8 miles per gallon.