National Tire Week highlights summer travel safety.

Orson Park June 30, 2023 Travel

Maintaining Tires for Summer Road Trips

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – With temperatures rising and more people hitting the highway, knowing how and when to maintain tires could be the key to keeping a car rolling.

Summer road trips are only as safe as the tires a vehicle relies on to get there.

And temperatures climbing in thermometers across the Pine Belt could put a damper on the fun.

“The hotter it gets, the more pliable that tire’s gonna get, the more dangerous it is gonna get on the highway because as it gets hotter, the tires tend to expand and it could cause a blowout,” said Gary Gleason of Jerry’s Automotive.

Monitoring Tire Pressure

While a tire’s pressure typically should be between 30 pounds per square inch to 35 pounds per square inch, that can fluctuate with higher temperatures, said Blaine Neville, manager of the Discount Tire store in Southaven, Miss.

To double check what the PSI should be for any particular vehicle, just open the driver’s side door.

“It’s on the doorjam of almost every vehicle,” Neveille said. “It’s a yellow-and-black sticker. So, if you open that door up, look in there, it’s gonna tell you the correct pressure for your vehicle.”

Rotation and Balance for Tire Maintenance

Companies also recommend rotation and balance in regular maintenance every 5,000 to 6,000 miles.

“It’s critical to the life of the tires and also gives you a more inspection of the tires when they’re off the vehicle,” Neville said.

Ensuring Sufficient Tread Depth

One way to check your tread is the “penny test.”

To start, place a penny between a tire’s ribs.

If Abraham Lincoln on the obverse disappears, the tire should be fine.

If Lincoln still can be seen, new tires may be in the very near future.

Factors Impacting Tire Wear

Road conditions will play a large part in how quickly and/or evenly a tire will wear.

“If it’s got slag on it, then the tire will wear down quicker,” Gleason said “If it’s a smoother pavement or asphalt or concrete, then the tires tend to wear easily.”

Checking the Spare Tire

Before heading to the destination, check the trunk to make sure one “last” important item is “packed.”

“Check your spare tire,” Neville said. “That’s the last thing you want is to have two flat tires or two tire problems in one day. Check the pressure, jack, gloves, flashlight because, unfortunately, flat tires happen at the most inconvenient time.”