Are Your Tires Properly Inflated?

Millions of U.S. drivers fail to maintain proper tire pressure, which is not only a safety risk but also wastes gas and money. According to a study by the Rubber Manufacturers Association, 55 percent of vehicles on the road today have at least one underinflated tire.

In the Washington, D.C. area, the study revealed that nearly 6 percent of D.C. vehicles had at least one bald tire; 64 percent of drivers do not know how to check tread depth; and 9 percent of D.C. area drivers said they never check their tread depth. And according to the NHTSA, only 8 percent of drivers check their tire pressure weekly and only 21 percent check it monthly.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association reports that tires must be replaced when the tread is worn down to 2/32nds of an inch.

Do you know how to check your tread depth? If not, use a penny, which is a reliable tool to check tire tread.

• Take a penny and put Lincoln's head into one of the grooves of the tire tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the legal amount of tread.
• If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time to replace the tire.

Watch the video below for more:


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