By JJ Gouin
Tire Tread & Collision Avoidance: What You Need to Know
Driving is a daily activity for most of us, but one that can be dangerous if we don't take proper precautions. One of the most common causes of collisions is a lack of maintenance on our vehicles, particularly regarding tire tread.
Many people don't realize that servicing your tires can actually help you avoid a collision. Keep reading to learn more about why this is so important and how servicing your tires can keep you safe on the road!
What Is Tire Tread?
Your tire's tread is the patterned part of the tire that contacts the ground when driving. It is designed to provide traction between the surface of the road and the tire by dispersing water and increasing friction. Tire tread helps to improve braking, turning, and overall control performance on both wet and dry surfaces.
Tire tread is an important part of driving safety because it provides traction between your tires and the road surface. Without adequate tread depth, your car's grip on the road is compromised, leading to skidding and loss of control while braking or turning. Additionally, tire tread helps ensure that water disperses quickly from beneath your tires as you drive, reducing the risk of hydroplaning in wet conditions.
Why is Tire Tread Important for Collision Avoidance?
Maintaining adequate tire tread is vital for avoiding collisions because it increases the car's ability to respond quickly and accurately when brake pedal or steering wheel input is received from the driver. With proper tire tread depth, drivers will have more confidence behind the wheel, knowing that their car will react as they expect in emergency situations like hard braking or sharp turns.
This also applies to slippery roads; with sufficient tire tread depth, you'll have more confidence navigating through rain or snow without fear of sliding out of control.
How Do I Check My Tire Tread?
It's easy! All you need is a penny—yes, a penny! Just insert the penny into the grooves between the tire treads with Lincoln's head facing down towards the tire surface. If any part of Lincoln's head remains visible (above the level of the tire), then it's time for new tires – as this indicates insufficient tire tread depth for safe driving conditions.
However, if all of Lincoln's head remains below the level of the tire surface, then your tires still have plenty of life left in them! Make sure to check all four tires every month or two – just to be safe!
Servicing your tires regularly should be a priority if you want to keep yourself safe while driving—especially during inclement weather such as rain or snow storms where visibility might be reduced, and roads can become slippery quickly. Having sufficient tire tread ensures that you will have enough grip on wet roads so you can maintain control over your vehicle; thus avoiding unnecessary accidents and collisions due to poor traction or bad handling caused by worn-out tires.
So next time you get behind the wheel, take a few minutes out of your day and perform a quick checkup on each one of your four tires using our penny test outlined above—your safety depends on it!
Visit CARSTAR Robert's Collision in Monterey, CA, your go-to collision repair center after any accident. Come in today, and we'll help bring your vehicle back to the condition it deserves. Please schedule an appointment with us today, and see what makes us so unique in the Monterey community!