Why Keeping Your Car Tires Properly Inflated Is More Important Than You Think

All drivers should know by now that keeping your tires properly inflated will extend the life of your car tires and help reduce fuel consumption. However, there are plenty other life saving reasons on why it is so important to watch your tire pressure. Quiz yourself concerning these other tire pressure tips.

Mechanics across the Stateline, your vehicle's owner manual, and Air Service.com state you should check your tire pressure at least once a month. This will extend your tire life and reduce fuel consumption.

Did you know:

The right tire pressure varies by vehicle and by model. The information can usually be found on a sticker inside the driver’s door jam, in the glove compartment, or in the vehicle owner’s manual. Do not use the tire pressure listed on the tire itself. That’s the maximum pressure to which a tire can be inflated, not the pressure for optimum driving and efficiency. I forgot about this tip.

The best time to check tire pressure when your vehicle has been driven less than a mile or has not been driven for at least three hours. The best time of the day is in the morning before you roll. You should also check your tires when the temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Tires can lose a pound per square inch of pressure each month, so be sure to check monthly.

If your tires are under inflated, you increase heat buildup and “rolling resistance" on your tires, you reduce mileage by up to 5 percent, and you reduce tread life by as much as 25 percent—or about 10 percent for every 10 percent of under inflation. You also risk blow-outs or other failures including brake traction, weight distribution and tire alignment. That the feeling you get when you car is pulling in one direction all the time. It may simply mean your tire on that particular side is low.

If your tires are low in tire pressure, cheer up. You are not alone. About 33% of Americans are currently driving on under-inflated tires. If you think about it, that means 33% of Americans are driving unsafe cars and don't even know it.

As I tell my family, it only takes a minute to check your tires at the pumps, or in the driveway. That minute could save you a lot of problems "down the road".

Speaking of inflation, just be happy you don't have to inflate and check the massive "Insane Inflatables" coming to DeKalb at Northern Illinois University this weekend with Q98.5. We just get to enjoy and have fun. Someone else inflates and deflates these inflatables for us. Want to have the time of your life? Sign up below and join us for our "Insane Inflatable 5K Fun Run" below.