Tire Safety Tips From Autoweek Magazine

DETROIT, June 8, 2011; It's National Tire Safety Week, and AutoWeek magazine is focusing on the oft-neglected but important rules of how rubber should meet road.

"A Rubber Manufacturers Association survey shows that 85 percent of motorists don't know how to properly inflate their tires and only 20 percent of drivers check their tire pressure each month," said Julie Alvin, AutoWeek associate editor. "When you consider that AAA anticipates that it will assist 1.2 million stranded motorists with tire-related issues this summer, there's much to be learned."

To help make sure you're not one of the 1.2 million stranded, follow these general guidelines:

• Check tire pressure. Do this at least once a month and before and after any long trips. Automakers often suggest a tire pressure in the neighborhood of 30 psi, but you should check your owner's manual to see what your car needs.

• Rotate your tires. Michelin says this should be done every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. Every tire will wear differently. On front-wheel-drive cars, the front wheels wear at almost twice the rate of the rear wheels, and in left-hand-drive countries, the left tire will wear faster than the right.

• Examine your treads. To make sure your tires have a tread depth of at least 4/32 inch, stick a quarter, Washington's head facing down, into one of the tire-tread grooves. If any part of Washington's head is obscured, you have at least that amount of tread. Prefer to stick with the legal 2/32-inch tread depth? Perform the same check, but use a penny and, of course, Lincoln's head.

• Align your wheels. Improperly aligned wheels can create rapid and uneven wear, says the RMA. Misaligned wheels can also create steering and tracking problems. According to Midas, a basic four-wheel alignment on an average sedan will cost about $80.

• Keep the deepest treads in the rear. Though this may seem counterintuitive, since the front tires do the braking and steering, if you have two newer tires and two older tires, keep the newer rubber on the rear wheels. Deeper treads grip the road and channel water better, making the rear of the car less likely to hydroplane and fishtail.

For more information on staying safe this summer, see Five Tips to Keep Your Tires in Top Shape on www.autoweek.com.

About AutoWeek

AutoWeek, launched in 1958, based in Detroit, Mich., and still published by Crain Communications Inc.