| “Tires are the single most
important mechanical component of vehicle control and safe driving,”
according to Oregon State Police Safety Tips.
FIVE UNSEEN DANGERS OF WORN TIRES.
- HEAT BUILD-UP
Worn tire tread increases heat build-up. As the distance
between the tire and the road decreases due to less tread,
less airflow is available between the road and the tire.
Heat is the great enemy of tire rubber and a major factor
in tire failure.
- PUNCTURE
Tire tread protects the tire casing from puncture. Worn
out tread greatly increases the chances for a tire blowout
due to puncture.
- HYDROPLANING
Worn tire tread can cause hydroplaning, a problem that can
begin at about 5/32” of tread remaining.
- BALANCE, ALIGNMENT
Tire balance and suspension alignment problems that cause
dangerous tire wear can easily go unnoticed by most drivers.
This new safety system makes these problems obvious and
correctable.
- UNDERINFLATION
Tires with worn tread are more likely to be seriously underinflated.
This condition can adversely impact steering, braking and
fuel mileage.
DRIVERS DON’T KNOW WHEN THEIR TIRES ARE UNSAFE.
- Two out of three drivers do not know how to tell if their
tires are bald, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
- Nearly one in 10 vehicles on our roads today is driving
with at least one bald tire (2/32” of tread remaining),
according to the U. S. Department of Transportation. That
means nearly 23-million vehicles are driving with a bald
tire (based on 230-million vehicles registered in the United
States).
- Worn tire tread can lead to tragic tire blowout and hydroplaning
accidents.
REGULATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL BUSES AND TRUCKS.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued
regulations requiring that the steering tires of all commercial
buses and trucks be replaced once the tire reaches 4/32”
of tread depth remaining. Less tread than this is judged
unsafe.
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