The Importance of Proper Tire Pressure

Almost every day we hear of accidents happening on the federal roads as well as highways. Most of the time, these accidents are caused by negligent drivers that do not take care of their vehicles. One of the most commonly ignored maintenance portion of a vehicle is the tire maintenance.

A lot of drivers out there are not actually aware of how important is it to maintain proper tire pressures in their vehicles. Nor are they aware of the dangers they face when their tires are under-inflated or over-inflated. Maintaining a good tire pressure would do a world of good for your vehicle, and would assist greatly in enhancing safety features for not only you but also your family.

When it comes to tire conditions, there are three different situations that one could face. The first is tires with the correct pressure, the second is under-inflated tires and the third would be over-inflated tires.

Under-inflated tired come into more contact with the road, thus they need more traction to move. In return, the load on the vehicle increases, and you realize that your tires wear our much faster than usual and your fuel consumption increases.

When your tires have more contact with the surface, heat tends to build up faster especially when you travel long distances. This could damage the tires internally, and damage the material properties of the tires themselves.

Unwanted mishaps such as sudden tire blowouts could materialize due to this excess heat as well. And the consequences could be catastrophic if you are travelling at high velocity and the tire explodes. With under-inflated tires, wearing happens more on the sides of the tires, and uneven wear properties expedites the need to replace these tires, which would definitely burn a hole in your wallet.
On the other hand, having over-inflated tires proves almost as bad as having under-inflated ones. With over-inflated tires, you have less contact area with the surface, thus stability of the vehicle is compromised.

Expect less grip on the road, especially during rainy days and during sharp cornering. The tires also do not wear out evenly, as over-inflated tires tend to wear the centre segment of the tires faster and reduce their lifespan. Over-inflated tires are also stiffer, thus you would experience bumpier rides as well with them.

To conclude, it is always advisable to keep a portable air compressor as well as a reliable tire pressure gauge within your vehicle at all times. This could help you ensure that you maintain the correct tire pressure whenever you are driving. Check your tire pressures at least once every two weeks, the more frequent the better.