Know AAA

Check your tires

AUTOMOTIVE—One in five vehicles have under-inflated tires, according to AAA vehicle inspection reports.

Checking all tires—including the spare—before leaving home can keep travelers from spending precious time getting assistance with a tire issue. Even more importantly, properly inflated tires are critical to safety.

Under-inflated tires wear more rapidly at the outer edges, contributing to imprecise vehicle handling. In addition, the sidewalls and tread will flex excessively, generating heat. This accelerates tread wear and in extreme cases can result in a blowout.

Make sure tires are inflated to the proper pressure for the vehicle's weight and speed. The correct pressure can be found in the owner's manual, or on the tire information decal often attached to a door jamb, the inside of the glove box, the trunk or the fuel filler door.

Many vehicle manufacturers specify a higher tire pressure to be used for extended highway driving or when the vehicle is fully loaded. Generally, this will be four to six pounds per square inch (psi) higher than the pressure for normal driving.

To help minimize the chances of tire failure, here are some tire inflation tips:

Check tire pressure no less than once a month. Ideally, check once a week and before any long trip.
Check pressure when the tires are cool.
Dial and digital pressure gauges tend to be more accurate than stick gauges.
Don't release excess pressure from hot tires. An increase of 4-8 psi over the recommended pressure is normal when the tires are hot and is perfectly safe.