
Your tires need traction in order to keep the car under control, are you aware of your car’s current tire tread situation?
Let’s think about your tires like the sneakers you used to wear for gym class–on that laminated hardwood floor with your school’s team mascot glaring in the center. Your new shoes had fresh traction and could grip onto that gym floor exquisitely to give you maximum agility. As the year went on and your gym shoes experienced the wear and tear one would expect, you noticed that you started to slip and slide–the traction had disappeared.
Similarly, your tires depend on this traction in order to stay under your control. Here are a few tips on how you can check your tire tread to keep you and your loved ones safe.
Tire Tread Techniques
– You can always check the identification number that is located on the wall of your tires; the last four digits give you everything you need to know, as they read when the tire was manufactured. For example, if the tire reads “2909,” that means that your tires were created in the 29th week of 2009. If your car was manufactured pre-2000 (you should not have the original tires, but if you do), the last number indicates the year of that decade.
– We can use President Abraham Lincoln to help us determine if we need new tires. Stick a penny into your grooves–head-faced down. If you can see the top of President Lincoln’s head, it’s time for new tires. If the tires cover the top portion of the head, you don’t need new tires, but keep an eye on them as their lifespan is quickly coming to a close.
Good traction can prevent life-altering accidents. Contact Risk Management LLC in Brookfield, Wisconsin for all of your auto insurance needs. We are here to help you get the coverage you need at the rates you deserve.