The following list is just a short way to try to remember some of the things to check to keep your tires in good condition to help keep you safe on the roadways.



Should tires have an expiration date?

This is a question being asked by some of the traffic safety organizations. Right now there is a system in place that includes just the date of manufacture. The newest reports tell you to be sure to check the dates on each tire and that they recommend that a tire be no more than 10 years old. Although, there are some car makers that suggest that tires not be used after 6 years. There is a date that appears on the tire, it usually has 4 numbers, the first two numbers show the week that it was made, and the next two the year of manufacture. (Example – 1510 – would be April 2010 or the 15th week of 2010). When older tires are used they can split open, cause a blowout, not hold the road during bad weather, and cause a skid. Although your car might have many other safety features, tires can control your comfort and safety so make sure they are in good condition and they will take care of everyone in the car.

Tire pressure should be checked once a month and before every long trip. Under inflation of tires affect the handling of your vehicle as well as fuel consumption. It can cause structural failure, uneven tread on the outer edges of the tire and possible tread separation. Look for wear, damage cracks or bulges, punctures, nails or an object that becomes imbedded in the tire. Also, loss of pressure can come from the valve stems. All of these can make your tires look low or flat.

The use of nitrogen to fill the tires instead of just air has some advantages. Although, there is a cost factor involved because many of the tire stores do charge extra to remove the air and put in nitrogen. The advantages of having nitrogen include having a more constant tire pressure and eliminating any moisture that could build up and cause damage to the wheels, possibly giving you a little better mileage and preserving your tires a little longer.

If a tire needs to be repaired, external plugs should not be used. If a plug is necessary it should be an inside plug. Other factors to keep tires in good condition are having them balanced, alignment to prevent uneven wear, rotate when you change your oil or about every 6000 miles, never overload or overheat the tires, put the correct size tires on your auto and replace them when needed.

Of course, always think of SAFETY FIRST!

Labels: driver safety, tire safety, vehicle inspections, vehicle safey

Imagine brand new cars, say, of all makes and sizes, being crushed mercilessly --- on purpose. That's exactly what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does, to find out which are the safest vehicles to drive year after year. 2010's no different, as they usually do the testing the year before to determine which the safest cars are.

Here's a small highlight of the safest vehicles for 2010 with the top for each category.

Large Cars
Buick LaCrosse – The LaCrosse scored the highest possible score (5 stars) in both frontal and side-impact crash tests. And the way the front and all-wheel-drive trims are designed, it has earned a four out of 5 in preventing a rollover. The LaCrosse comes standard with front and front-side airbags, plus an option to include rear airbags, making this one of 2010's safest vehicles.

Midsize Cars
Audi A3 – Scoring “Good” (the top rating) for frontal offset, side impact, rear crash protection and roof strength, Audi definitely put safety first when building the A3. Anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution, Electronic Differential Lock are just some of the features you will come to expect and love about the A3.

Small Cars
Honda Civic (4-door model, excluding Si) – The old guard for safe cars, the 2010 Civic earns 5 stars when it comes to driver/passenger safety in a front/rear-side collision as well as the rear passenger safety when it comes to side collisions. It earns a 4 in rollover protection, which is still impressive, considering how light the Civic is. Truly one of the safest vehicles ever built.

Midsize SUVs
Dodge Journey – The Journey, while combining SUV spaciousness with car comforts, earns the top spot in the midsize category. With good scores in crash tests, plus electronic stability control that comes standard, it has earned an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” designation, sharing this spot with only 3 other SUVs, making it one of the safest vehicles to drive.

Small SUVs
Honda Element – The Element ranks 10th in the list of Affordable Compact SUVs --- based on its price and safety performance. It scores 5 out of 5 stars in front/side impact crashes and receives an overall score of “Good.” Also belonging to the “Top Safety Pick” distinction, the Honda Element is equal parts compact SUV and safest vehicle.

If you're buying a new car this year, it'd be tops to consider one of the 5 safest vehicles for 2010. The IIHS already did the crash testing, so you won't have to.

(Source: http://www.iihs.org/ratings/)

Labels: driver safety, safe vehicles, suv safety, vehicle safey