There are multiple checks to remember to perform on your car before heading out on the road, especially during the winter season. While each of these checks is important in their own way, one of the most crucial checks that you need to perform is on your tires. Tire checks are a crucial safety step whether your car is a two-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive.
To help you out, here are five important tire safety tips for winter that you must keep in mind:
1. Switch to snow tires
If you live in an area that receives heavy snowfall, you would do best with snow tires. These tires can ensure that you drive safely with the best traction. Moreover, snow tires also work great for slush and heavy rains. So, these will hold you in good stead until spring comes along. During spring and summer, you can switch back to all-season tires for the best driving experience.
2. Invest in tire chains
In certain areas, tire chains may be your only hope of driving safely through extreme snow. It is important to get tire chains for all four tires and not just two. Also, do make sure that you pick the right fit of tire chains. Most importantly, you will need to keep tightening the chains around every 15 feet of driving and remove them as soon as you are clear of snow. However, do ensure that the area you drive in does not have any rules banning tire chains as they are harmful to the roads.
3. Check tire pressure
The air in your tires supports the heavy weight of your entire vehicle on a drive. Thus, maintaining adequate tire pressure is extremely important. Read the manufacturer’s manual to know your car’s ideal tire pressure. Also, keep a tire pressure gauge handy so you can check your tire pressure. It is advisable to conduct a check every time there is a significant drop in the temperature outside. It has been found that every 10-degree reduction in temperature leads to a loss of around one pound of tire pressure.
4. Remember to rotate your tires
This is one of the most important tire safety tips for winter. A rule of thumb states that you need to rotate your tires every 6,000 miles. If this figure is hard to keep a track of, you can simply rotate your tires each time you do an oil change in your vehicle.
5. Inspect the tread
Keeping an eye on the tire tread is an extremely important part of tire safety. Doing so becomes even more crucial in winters as you would want your tires to have the best grip on the road. Low tread can reduce the stopping distance of a vehicle. The good news, however, is that you do not need an expert to check the tread. There is a simple way in which you can do this all by yourself. All you need to do is take a penny and put it upside down into one of the grooves. If President Lincoln’s entire head is seen above, this means you need to replace your tires.
These are a few important tire safety tips for winter. Do ensure to follow them to enjoy a safe commute.