Honest Abe is a good tread depth tool.
A survey of more than 7,000 vehicles revealed that 11% had at least one bald tire. This, of course, can increase the risk of a crash — or at least sharpen your skid recovery skills — especially in wet weather, which if you look out the window you might observe frequently occurs during fall and winter months.
It’s a good thing makers have developed automatic windshield wipers so at least luxury car owners are spared the manual labor of turning on these vision clearing devices. For us peasants, who manually do so, flip on the headlights at the same time when it is raining.
According to AAA, more than 33 million motorists will take to the road for Thanksgiving travel, and that means nearly four million motorists could be at risk by driving on bad tires, if the survey sample accurately models the problem.
Moreover, in another national motorist phone survey earlier this year, 64% of car owners did not know how to check tire tread depth and 9% never check tread depth. Tsk, tsk.
The surveys were sponsored by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), a trade group in the U.S. RMA is urging motorists to regularly check tire tread depth and replace worn out tires before they become a safety risk.
“In this bad economy, drivers may be delaying necessary vehicle maintenance to save costs,” said Charles Cannon, RMA president and CEO.
Checking tread depth is simple and only costs a penny.
To do the “penny test,” take a penny and insert Abe Lincoln’s head upside down into the tread. If you can see all of his head, your tire is 2/32nds of an inch deep or less, and should be replaced.
Tires also have “wear bars” built into them. These indicators appear when you have worn your tread down to the maker’s limit. These indicators are raised sections spaced intermittently in the bottom of the tread grooves. When they appear “even” with the outside of the tread, it is time for tire replacement.
“Your tires literally keep your vehicle attached to the road,” Cannon said. “Bald tires are dangerous because they cannot grip the road properly, they increase stopping distances and can contribute to skidding or loss of vehicle control.”
Under wet weather conditions, bald tires can hydroplane – where the tire or tires are riding on a film of water not the pavement, which can lead to a loss of vehicle control. It is the same principle as a water slide, only not as much fun in my experience.
Not only are too many motorists not paying attention to tread depth, they also are ignoring tire inflation pressure. Under inflated tires also pose a safety risk, wear out faster and increase vehicle fuel consumption.
In a similar survey of more than 5,400 vehicles conducted in March-May 2009, RMA found:
- Only 9% of vehicles had four properly inflated tires.
- 50% of vehicles had at least one under inflated tire.
- 19% of vehicles had at least one tire under inflated by 8 pounds per square inch (psi.)
Tire inflation pressure should be checked every month and before long trips. Always check tires when cold — before the vehicle is driven. Use the manufacturer’s recommended pressure found on a label located on the driver’s door or doorpost.
Here is another idea. You can check the most unread best seller in America – the owner’s manual.
While basic tire maintenance only takes a few minutes each month, many tire retailers offer tire pressure and tread depth checks at no charge.
Maybe they will turn on your windshield wipers too…