Page 27 - AAA Now! – AAA Central Penn – November/December 2021

AUTOMOTIVE
Are Your Tires Ready for Fall and Winter?
If you’re enjoying the cooler temperatures and beautiful foliage that fall brings, don’t forget that winter’s cold and snow are right behind! Along with football and the holidays come rain, falling leaves, snow, and ice – all of which cause dangerous driving conditions. Do not wait until the snow is on the ground to prepare your car, act now.
One of the best ways to combat these weather risks is by making sure your tires are prepared. At the end of the day, they are all that keeps your car off the road.
Here are a few tips to get your tires ready to handle any weather condition you may face in the coming months:
MONITOR THE PRESSURE
Tires lose 1 to 2 lbs. of air pressure for every 10-degree drop in temperature.
A loss of tire pressure can sacrifice traction and handling, which are needed when dealing with poor weather. So, regularly check tire pressure, making sure it stays within the recommended range of your vehicle’s owner’s manual or door tire pressure decal.
CHECK TIRE TREAD
Tire tread is vitally important in helping the tires maintain proper traction with the road. Hydroplaning during heavy rains and traction in snow is made much worse by tires that have very little tread left. It’s easy to check – all you need is a quarter. Insert the coin into the tread groove; if you can see the top of Washington’s head, your tires are worn out and
should be replaced. Additionally, many tires have a tread wear indicator molded into the tire tread that becomes flush with the tire surface when the tire is worn out. These indicators are at 2/32” above the tread; however, when a tire is at 4/32” there
is a significant loss of traction, particularly on wet or snowy roads, and you should consider replacing them before they get to the tread bars. Since you only have about 6” of tread on each wheel contacting the road at any time, being overly cautious with tires is very wise.
CONSIDER TIRE OPTIONS
Depending on the area of the state you live in, you should consider different tires to suit your area’s weather conditions.
In mountainous areas or where it gets colder with ice, consider getting winter tires with better traction ratings and tread patterns that work better in ice, snow or slush.
If you are in an area that sees rain as well as some snow, consider tires with deeper tread ratings. Deep tire treads help move water out from under the tires to mitigate the chance of hydroplaning in wet conditions.
Alternatively, you should consider all-season tires. These
will save you time, money, and space by avoiding the need to change tires between seasons and trying to find somewhere to store out-of-season winter tires.
HAVE THE TIRES LOOKED AT BY A REPUTABLE GARAGE
Have your tires checked over by a qualified garage before winter to verify pressures and tread depth. If you do need tires, have them give you some options and ask them for a recommendation based on your needs. The AAA Approved Auto Repair program has many qualified garages that can perform these checks. A list of these garages is online at AAA.com/AAR.
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