It’s important to check your tires regularly. Tire pressures should be checked every month, especially in places with widely varying temperatures. Every 10 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature change will affect the tire pressure by 1 PSI. Proper tire pressure is important for good wear, fuel economy, and safety.

But besides checking your pressures, make sure you also check the tread at regular intervals to make sure your tires aren’t wearing out. If you go to a good auto shop for oil changes they’ll usually recommend a tire rotation or at the very least check the condition and let you know if you need to replace them soon.

I did not do a good job of this with my 1997 Civic. Last week after lunch at work I was told by another employee that I had a flat tire. I brought my car into the shop after work and found that I had more than a flat tire. If that screw hadn’t gotten in there and made it go flat, I may have had a tire blow out from being completely worn out.

The tire that got the screw in it was the worst condition, caused by incorrect rear toe because of the broken toe arm on that side, but the left rear was almost as bad, worn through into the second layer of cords in this spot. I had been wondering why my car was fishtailing so much in the snow this year, but the outside treads were all I checked and they still had a little bit of depth,

Even though I’m planning on replacing this car soon, I can’t drive around on tires in that condition, so I gave in and put on four brand new Toyo Extensas. It was an unplanned expense but it’s a lot better than having a blowout on the highway and crashing. Check your tires right now!

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-Dan