Proper tire and pressure maintenance can be the difference maker

The rain season is quickly approaching. Is your vehicle ready to take on rain-slicked pavement? The chances of getting into an accident greatly increases during the wet season.

The key to staying safe on the road during the wet season is to be aware of your surroundings and to heed your vehicle's warning signs. 
For example, keeping your tires properly inflated before navigating slick roads is extremely important. Under or overinflated tires can greatly change the way your tires meet the road. Traction, handling, steering, stability, and braking are all affected by changes in tire pressure. Keeping your tires properly inflated to vehicle specifications can dramatically reduce the chances of getting into an accident on wet pavement. 

Kicking your tire, pushing it in with your finger, or eye balling it is not the right way to measure your tire pressure. In fact, a tire can lose up to 50% of its air before it begins to show visually. Do it the right way. Use a tire pressure gauge to accurately measure the pressure in each tire and adjust accordingly. 

Exercising proper tire maintenance is important and properly inflated tires can be the difference maker when navigating through difficult road situations. Schrader, a world leader in TPMS technology and solutions recommends the following: 

  • Check your tire pressure regularly, especially before any long trips. Inflation pressure changes depending on the temperature. Tire pressure drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees F drop in ambient temperature. Additionally, tires can lose as much as 1.5 psi per month as air escapes the tire and rim naturally. It’s best to check tire pressure when the car is off and tires are coolest.
  • Heed the TPMS warning symbol. All passenger vehicles and light trucks sold in the U.S. from 2008 onward have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) system installed. If the TPMS warning symbol lights up on your dashboard, one or more of your tires is 25 percent or more underinflated -- a significant loss in pressure. Take caution, and do not ignore the TPMS warning symbol.
  • Find a safe place to pull out of traffic to stop and check your tires. If you are not having a blowout, use a tire gauge to check the pressure of each tire against your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure level. Inflate tires to correct pressure at the nearest service station or repair facility. The recommended pressure level can be found on the tire placard, a label located just inside the driver’s side door.
  • Don’t forget the spare. Before long drives, always check your spare for any injuries or punctures.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that nearly 250,000 accidents occur in the U.S. per year due to low tire pressure. Follow the steps above- don't be part of that statistic. Let's make the road a safer place for drivers from all generations by exercising proper tire and pressure maintenance. 

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