Does the way that you drive affect how long car tires last?
Tires are an important part of any vehicle. They keep the vehicle in contact with the surface of the road. It’s the effectiveness of this contact that helps you to drive safely. This means that if the tires on your car are excessively worn, you may not be driving as safely as you should be.
It’s also interesting to note that the way you drive can have an effect on the life of your vehicle’s tires. This means that you can create a vicious circle of bad driving habits, causing tire wear that can result in a further bad habit of driving on excessively worn tires. The important thing is that when you buy new tires in Houston, Texas or Hobart, Tasmania, or anywhere else, you should protect them by adopting good driving techniques.
Slow Down Already and Stick to the Speed Limit
There are several reasons why you should drive the speed limit. The main reason is to protect your own safety and that of your passengers. Plus, you know, cops pulling you over and writing you an expensive speeding ticket. Driving at high speed is also bad for the condition of the tires on your vehicle. Speed generates heat, so the faster you go, the hotter the tires become, which increases their wear.
Avoid Slamming on the Brakes
There may be occasions when you have to brake suddenly, say in order to avoid an accident, but you should avoid stopping if you can help it. (Same goes for flooring the gas and spinning the tires). Sudden braking can cause damage to the tires of your vehicle. Plus it reduces the life of your brake pads.
Drive Around Obstacles, Not Over Them, When Possible
Hitting obstacles, such as potholes and curbs, can seriously damage the sidewall of a tire. And once the sidewall is damaged the tire needs to be replaced. This can be expensive, especially if you have only just had a new tire installed. Driving at reduced speed in areas where there are potholes is a good idea, as doing so makes it easier to avoid them. It’s also a good idea to not take corners too fast so that you are less likely to come into contact with the curb on the inside of the turn.
Lighten Up Your Vehicle
It can be tempting to jam your whole family and all your luggage into your car if you are going on a road trip. However, it’s not a good idea to exceed the weight limit for the car as doing so can put pressure on the tires, causing damage. Heat generated from long bouts of high-speed highway driving coupled with an over-weighted vehicle can significantly increase the possibility of a catastrophic tire failure. You can check the weight limit for your vehicle by reading the owner’s manual.
Tires are expensive to replace, but critical to your safety. Adjusting your driving habits means that you should be able to preserve the condition of the tires longer. Doing so will help make your driving safer overall, which of course means that you spend less money on replacing tires over the lifetime of your car.