By: G Jenkins
Submitted: 2009-10-20 04:36:12 | Word Count: 536
Did you know that according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 400 deaths and 10,000 injuries occur in the United States of America because of blowouts or tire failures?
Well, it is not surprising if you and many others may unaware of these figures. Most people are not aware the numbers are so high. In fact, in spite of the rising number of accidents due to improper tire maintainenance, there are many drivers who do not care enough to maintain their tires and that ultimately leads to even more such mishaps.
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The Importance of Maintaining Your Tires
The tires if a car are much like our feet, the most neglected part of our body. Unless they show signs of damage, we hardly ever look after the. But failing to look after a car’s tires, which happen to be one of the most important components of a car, can cause serious accidents. After all, they are the ones that keep the car running on the road.
If your car happens to run at a speed of around, say 40 to 60 miles and hour, and you end up with a tire failure, you are definitely headed for some serious injuries. But if you take the necessary steps to keep your tire well maintained, you can prevent the ones in the car from serious accidents. Not only that, your car will give you much better performance if your tires are in shape.
How do Blowouts or Tire Failures Occur?
There are two possible ways for this to happen. Either your tires are overloaded or it is under inflated. Thus, neither too much nor too little of air is good fro your car tires. Both of them generate unnatural amounts of heat and stress your car out.
How does the Weather and Climate Affect the Tires?
Unknown to most individuals, changing weather and temperature conditions affects the car tires drastically. Especially in warmer seasons like spring and summer, the temperature tends to influence the speed of air loss from tires. In other months car tires lose pressure of around one to two pounds, whereas in summer the figure increases.
Checking your Tire Pressure
So it is a smart option to check your tire pressure each time you land up at the gas station to refuel your tank. Once a month check ups are a must, as are before embarking on long journeys on the road. Every auto repair shop has someone to check the pressure for a meager amount, so you do not need to get your hands dirty.
What to do if you have a Blowout?
The most important thing is to stay calm and not hit the breaks right off. This is what people generally tend to do which causes the car veer off and puts you in greater danger. You should slowly brake and gain control of the car to direct it to a location off the road where you can replace the tire.
Basic Tips to Avoid Accidents caused by Tire Failures
The primary thing to do is take acre of your car’s tires. Regular check ups and examining the pressure level are a must. Taking care of your care will keep you and your family safe.
