The tires are an important part of your vehicle. When the tires aren’t properly maintained, you might end getting into an accident. As part of a proper tire maintenance program, you have to ensure that your tires are properly rotated and that the tire inflation is correct. While tire maintenance is an important safety aspect for a vehicle, many vehicle owners don’t take the time to ensure that their tires are maintained.
Rotating your tires is something that should be done every 5,000 miles unless there is a different recommendation made by the vehicle manufacturer. Properly rotated tires can help to keep the wear on the tire even and ensure long tread life.
Tire inflation is something else that is vital to ensure that the tire has proper contact with the road surface. The tire pressure can change with the temperature, as well as over time. Improper tire pressure can lead to internal tire damage that can lead to tire failure. Tire failure can lead to accidents that cause injuries. Tire pressure recommendations are included in vehicle owner’s manuals, on a placard on the driver door or on a placard in the glove box.
Another often-overlooked aspect of tire care is ensuring that the tires on a vehicle haven’t been recalled. The National Transportation Safety Board notes that the tire recall system is broken, so you can’t assume that you will be alerted if your tires are recalled. Of the 2.3 million tires that were recalled from 2009 to 2013, only 44 percent of those recalls were completed.
If you are in an accident that was caused by tire failure, you might choose to seek compensation. Learning your options can help you to decide how you are going to make your claim.
Source: TireSafety.com, “Maintenance,” accessed Oct. 30, 2015
