Learning how to keep your tires in excellent condition can help prevent an accident from ever occurring.
When we think about vehicle safety, we most often think about behavior. Safer drivers have lower speeds, avoid their phones, increase their following distance, and a variety of other behavioral habits. What we don’t usually think about is the safety of the vehicle itself. However, given the statistics, we should. Roughly 11,000 crashes happen every year just from unsafe tires, and in 2016, it is estimated that 733 people died from such accidents. Clearly, tire safety is a significant issue. Learn how to keep your tires in excellent condition so an accident never happens.
Check Your Tire Pressure Once a Month
One of the most common issues with tires is their level of inflation. Every tire has an optimal pressure, and when that pressure dips above or below, your car will not function correctly. You can avoid this trap by manually checking your pressure at regular intervals. You should note that while your car likely has a tire pressure sensor built in, that sensor is not perfect. They sometimes do not adequately detect low pressure, and often do not detect high pressure at all.
Measure Your Treads
When you first buy a set of tires, the treads will be deep and your stopping ability will be fantastic. As your treads wear down, your stopping ability suffers. This is especially dangerous in the rain and snow. No matter how good your reaction time is, you’ll need your brakes and tires to be functioning correctly to make a quick stop. If your tread is low, that won’t happen.
Conduct a Quick Inspection Weekly
As mentioned previously, your car’s system of sensors is very useful, but it doesn’t cover everything. If one of your tires is bulging or rotting, you might not know it until the tire breaks completely. The remedy for this is doing a quick visual inspection every week for irregularities.
Keep Track of Tire Age
If you don’t drive very much, your treads will likely be acceptable for a very long time. This can be deceiving though, as a tire worsens with age no matter how much you use it. Even if your tires look fine, you should replace them every six years.
Understand Tire Safety’s Legal Implications
A car accident that is partially caused by tire failure is much more complex than one that does not. If a driver’s tires are in bad shape, they could be liable for all of the damages in the crash due to negligence. Whether this will happen or not is best predicted by an experienced car accident lawyer.
Sometimes, a driver will do everything right and still get into an accident. The reason is that despite their driving habits being perfect, their tires are not. Unsafe tires are incredibly dangerous, so prioritizing their function is a smart idea. If you do end up in a crash, it is a good idea to speak with a St. Louis car accident attorney to guide you through the process.