Did you know that it’s National Tire Safety Week? The Rubber Manufacturer’s Association created National Tire Safety Week May 28 through June 3, 2017 to help drivers learn simple and essential steps to maintain their tires.
This is a great idea, because tires are extremely important. As the only part of the vehicle that actually come into contact with the road, literally everything is riding on them. Therefore, it’s absolutely crucial that they are well maintained and properly cared for. Research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that during 2009 to 2013, commercial truck tire blowouts were accountable for 200 accidents and 223 fatalities on the road.
“Tire manufacturers want to be a resource to consumers to help them understand the importance of regular maintenance to safety, and how best to take care of their tires,” says Anne Forristall Luke, president and CEO of RMA.
So, what exactly happens during National Tire Safety Week? Tire manufacturers and participating retailers educate motorists about simple, yet important, tire care and maintenance in order to encourage safety and performance using promotions, advertising, community outreach, and free tire pressure checks.
What Can Drivers Do Themselves?
For tire safety and maintenance, there are some things that all drivers should do themselves. Although truck drivers are highly trained to do maintenance checks, reminders are always helpful. Tire conditions that drivers can check themselves include:
- Checking the tire pressure every month, including any spares. This pressure check should align with any regulations that have been set for the vehicle. Remember, tires can be over-inflated, not just under-inflated.
- Checking the tire tread’s “wear bars” regularly. If these wear bars are visible, that means the tread has worn enough that they present a risk and will need to be replaced. If a tire tread is too worn, it can blow out on the road.
- Checking to ensure that your tire valves have valve caps on them. If a valve cap is missing, air can escape from the tire.
- Ensuring that dual tires are not ever coming into contact with each other. If they rub against each other, this can lead to overheating or putting too much stress on the bearings.
- Getting tires rotated when they need it (about every 6,000 to 8,000 miles).
- Checking the tire balance checked regularly. Unbalanced tires can cause irregular wear, which can lead to blow-outs.
- Checking your tires for general wear, such as cracking, sidewall damage (cuts, gouges, bubbles, etc.), or if any debris has gotten stuck inside the tread.
Here are a few more tips:
So along with the beginning of summer comes the very important National Tire Safety Week! We hope that you do everything you can to ensure the safety and maintenance of your tires, and take advantage of the free checks that manufacturers and retailers are offering through June 3rd!
As a commercial truck driving school, L.A Trucking School takes National Tire Safety Week very seriously. We are proud instructors of budding truck drivers who want to earn their CDL certification. If you have questions about our programs, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!