Are your tires ready for the 4th of July trip?

According to AAA, 60.6 million people are expected to hit the road during the July 4 holiday. But experts recommend making sure your tires are in good condition before hitting the road.

“It’s very important, right? Checking air pressure, tread and tire age are the three main components of tire safety,” said Scott Brown, director at Discount Tire.

At the Discount Tire store in Brooklyn Park, safety is a top priority as crews help people just before they leave for their big holiday trips.

“Holiday weekends are usually busier,” Brown said. “We check air pressure, we inspect tires — ‘Hey, I’m going out of town, I’m going to Michigan, can you check my treads?’ You know, that kind of thing.”

Employees at Discount Tire in Brooklyn Park work on a customer’s tires ahead of the July 4th holiday.

For the rest of America, this week is Independence Day. However, the tire manufacturing industry has dubbed this week “National Tire Safety Week.”

Brown says several things can happen if you don’t check the condition of your tires.

“Stopping distances can be increased or decreased based on inflation,” Brown said. “When you have a loaded vehicle, a trailer, you have all these coolers, the tire can overheat and that can create issues with the tires starting to inflate or separate due to overheating.”

Tire pressure check

Checking your tire pressure is one of the first things to do before a long trip.

This is one of the services Discount Tire offers as a complimentary service, but people are encouraged to do it themselves about once a month when the tires are cold. Incorrect tire pressure can lead to uneven wear and poor gas mileage.

Then there’s the tread on your tires.

“If Discount Tire isn’t available after hours, you can always use a penny to check your tread depth,” Brown said. “Basically, if you can see Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace your tires.”

Whereas if you put a penny in the tread of a new tire, Lincoln’s head is completely covered. It’s a simple trick to help you get from point A to point B without any problems.

If Lincoln’s head is visible when you insert a penny into a tread groove, it’s time to replace your tire.

Discount Tire recommends that drivers keep the following five tips in mind for tire safety:

Check the tread to make sure your vehicle has enough tread depth to provide a safe stopping distance. Drivers can also check tread depth at home by inserting a coin upside down into a groove in the tread: it’s time to replace the tire if Lincoln’s head is visible.
Check your tire pressure at least once a month when the tires are cold, especially before a long trip. Incorrect pressure can cause poor handling, poor gas mileage, and uneven wear. Hot summer temperatures affect tire pressure: for every 10 degrees change in ambient temperature, tire air pressure changes by 1 psi.
Rotate your tires every 6,000 miles or sooner if uneven wear develops.
Replace tires that are six years old or older. Rubber becomes harder and more brittle over time, so drivers should check the age of their tires based on the DOT number stamped on the tire’s sidewall.
Check your trunk to see what equipment your car has in case of a tire emergency, such as tire inflation kits that include puncture sealants and air compressors.

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