June is National Tire Safety Month. Tires are important year-round, of course, but this month gives us a way to remember to prioritize tire safety and be proactive in taking care of our tires. I’ve experienced my fair share of flat tires (shoutout to the nail I ran over in a parking garage a few years back!), but there was one experience early on in my driving journey that forever altered the way I think about tire safety.
Why are tires so important?
Before we get into my story, let’s talk tire basics. Obviously, tires are vital to making your car move. They do more than just that, though! Tires are in charge of lots of tasks, like:
- Steering: When you turn the steering wheel, your tires get that message and guide the car in the direction you steer.
- Braking: When you hit the brakes, the tires generate more friction with the road, slowing down your vehicle.
- Shock Absorption: Tires are kinda like a cushion, soaking up bumps along the road, making for a smoother ride.
- Traction: This is one of the most important things your tires do. Proper tread depth helps your tires grip the road, especially in poor conditions.
Not all tires are the same.
There are a lot of types of tires to choose from. Here’s a list of the main types and some pros and cons of each.
- All-Season Tires: These tires are made for driving all year. They’re okay in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions but might not be the best for extreme winter or off-road use.
- Summer Tires: They work really well on dry roads and have great grip on warm roads, but they don’t do so well when it’s cold or snowy.
- Winter Tires: Perfect for snow, ice, and cold weather with special treads and rubber. But they might wear down faster on dry roads and not work as well when it’s hot outside.
- All-Terrain Tires: Good for both on-road and off-road driving, with decent traction on different surfaces like mud or gravel. They might not be super comfortable to use on regular roads (bouncy!), and they may use more gas than other tires.
- Mud-Tires: Great for off-roading, but they can be noisy on regular roads and might wear out faster on highways.
- Performance Tires: Made for fast driving, turning, and handling with a strong grip on dry and wet roads.
- Touring Tires: These tires make driving smooth and comfy, last a long time, and work in all seasons.
- Temporary/Spare Tires: This is just a backup tire in case of a flat. Don’t use it for too long, and replace with a better tire ASAP.
- Run-Flat Tires: Keeps you going for a bit even when your tires lose pressure, but only for a limited distance.
- Eco-Friendly Tires: These reduce rolling resistance, which improves fuel efficiency.
- High-Performance All-Season Tires: Like a mix of performance and all-season tires. Good for lots of different weather.
My First Flat Tire
Now, when I was a new driver, I didn’t know anything about tires. I didn’t do much driving the first year or so that I had my license, and I wasn’t super confident behind the wheel. My old car wasn’t in amazing shape, and whenever a new alert popped up on the dashboard, I chose to ignore it (please don’t do this, those warnings show up for a reason!). Another fun thing about my car was that it would start to shake when it hit around 50 miles per hour. While I know now that that was a sign I needed to see a mechanic ASAP, I didn’t think anything of it at the time.
This is exactly what was happening when I experienced my first flat tire. I was on the highway, with my younger brother and our cousin in the backseat. My car was shaking of course, but it was more intense than usual. I chalked it up to the poor condition of the highway. My hands were vibrating on the steering wheel when my brother said that the person in the car on our right was trying to get my attention.
I looked over, and sure enough, the driver next to me was waving at me, gesturing for me to roll down my window. Of course, the driver’s side window of my car no longer worked, so I couldn’t. I had my brother roll down the window in the backseat so he could hear what the other driver wanted.
"I think she’s saying something about your tires," he relayed to me. As soon as he said it, I felt a sinking feeling in my gut. Was that why the car was shaking so badly?
I quickly flipped on my turn signal and pulled over onto the shoulder. After putting on my hazard lights, I got out of the car to take a look at my tires. Sure enough, the front tire on the driver’s side was completely flat. I have no idea how long I was driving on that flat tire, and I was incredibly lucky that I didn’t cause a collision or even more damage to my vehicle by doing so.
Become Your Own Tire Expert
After that flat tire incident early in my driving career, I’ve become a stickler for making sure my tires are in good condition. Here are some actions you can incorporate into your own routine to make sure you don’t end up in a scary situation:
- Practice changing your tires before you hit the road. We’ve put together a handy guide to help you change your tires here.
- Check your tire pressure regularly. The recommended pressure can be found on a sticker inside your driver’s door jamb or in your owner’s manual. Remember to include the spare tire in your pressure checks!
- Check your tire treads. Poor treads will cause your vehicle to lose traction. The penny test is a quick and easy way to check your tread depth. All you have to do is insert a penny head-down into one of the main tread grooves. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head completely, your tires are nearing the wear limit and need replacing. For a more precise measurement, consider using a dedicated tread depth gauge, which you can get for pretty cheap.
- Regular tire rotation (typically every 5,000 to 8,000 miles) helps get even wear and tear across all four tires. Check your owner’s manual for recommended rotation intervals.
So, now that you’ve learned about different types of tires and heard about my unfortunate flat tire experience, you can see how important tire safety is! This June, take some time to learn about proper tire care and maintenance. Check your tread depth, keep an eye on your tire pressure, and don’t ignore those warning lights on your dashboard. Stay safe and do everything you can to keep others safe, too!
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