The tires on your car are important for safety and the proper functioning of your vehicle. This is illustrated by statistics from the White House showing that nearly 11,000 accidents a year are caused by tire problems. Here are some ways to check whether your tires are safe or not.
Just One Edge Is Worn Down
According to Bob McDonald Goodyear, “If you look at your tires and notice that just one edge appears to be worn down more than the rest of the treads, then your car might not be safe to drive. If just the inner or outer edges of your tires are worn, then your car has alignment issues. This means your tires are not all facing the correct direction when the car is moving.” This can cause many problems. You need to have your tires professionally aligned to fix the problem.
Embedded Debris
Examine your tires very closely and look for debris embedded between the treads. If there is an excessive amount of debris such as nails, sharp stones and glass, then your tires are in trouble. You might need to replace your tires because the debris can cause damage or blowouts over time. The debris could also affect the traction your tire has especially on wet roads.
Center Treads Are Worn Down Excessively
If you see that the center treads on your tires are far more worn than the outer edges, then you probably have tire pressure problems. Your tires are overinflated to the point where damage is being done. Your tires are basically ruined at this point and need to be replaced. Preventing this problem in the future requires paying close attention to the manufacturer’s maximum recommended pressure for your tires.
Treads Are Less Than A Sixteenth of an Inch Deep
Your tires are not safe if the treads are less than a sixteenth of an inch deep. You can tell this by looking for the tread depth indicator lines running around the tire. If they are visible, then your car is in danger. You can also use a ruler or a penny to check the depth. Tires with extremely worn treads can cause problems with braking, handling and turning. They must be replaced immediately.
Both Tire Edges are Overly Worn
If you look at your tires and see that both the inner and outer edges are worn down excessively, then your tires have been critically underinflated for a long time. You must get new tires and then make certain they are inflated to the manufacturer standards. This is important because CNN reported that underinflated tires are responsible for between 49 and 79 fatalities each year.
Bulges, Holes, Bubbles or Cuts
A final step is to look at the sides of the tire for bulges, holes, bubbles or cuts. These are signs that your tires have grown too old and are starting to fail. You must remove and replace the tires as soon as possible to prevent an accident while driving.
