Stay safe by recognizing your tires’ problem areas

It is not uncommon for improperly maintained tires to cause a New Jersey car accident. Poor tire maintenance is a leading cause of car wrecks and injuries. One of the reasons why so many accidents happen because of tires is because most drivers do not know what to look for when evaluating the safety of their tires. This article will discuss what you should be looking for when examining your tires.

Check for over-inflation and under-inflation. While it is good to have air in your tires, it is not good to have too much or too little air in your tires. Having too much air causes just the middle part of your tire to have contact with the road, meaning you will have less traction in wet and slippery conditions and while braking. Under-inflation results in just the outer edge of your tires making contact with the road. This causes uneven tire wear and also leaves you with less traction on the road.

Also, check to see if your tires are wearing unevenly, which is a sign that they may need to be re-aligned to correct the issue. Check for erratic tread wear as well. This is could mean the wheel is off-balance or that your shock absorbers need to be replaced. Additionally, a raised part of sidewall or treading could be a sign that some of the tires belts have begun to separate from the tread — which means it is time to replace your old wheels and get newer, safer ones.

Whenever evaluating the safety of your tires, be sure to use common sense. If you see anything that appears out of the ordinary with your tires, a qualified mechanic may be able to help evaluate your tire situation. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to tires. Indeed, if a driver’s negligently maintained tires leads to an injurious car crash, victims will have the right to seek damages against the driver who failed in his or her duty to maintain a safe vehicle.

Source: AAA, “Tire Safety and Maintenance,” accessed Oct. 14, 2015