News

How many times have you heard that tires are the only thing between you and the road?

Despite recognition of the important role tires play in driving safety, a recent survey on tire maintenance found that there is a lack of knowledge with the general population when it comes to tire care. The survey was conducted YouGov and the data was compiled into a report by Anyline, a data capture provider for automotive experts.

The survey focuses on American drivers with answers coming from 1,041 participants. The results show that there is room for improvement when it comes to tire care and knowing when to replace tires.

Take a look at some of the findings below, and see how you relate (and consider this your reminder to take care of any tire services you need).

Tread Knowledge and Tire Replacement Statistics

The survey found that:

• 65% of drivers check their tires once a month or more frequently.
  •  Of those who inspect their tires this frequently, only 42% check that the tread depth is above minimum.

Across everyone who inspects their tires (including drivers who look at their tires less than once per year), 64% look at worn tread. However, checking tires once a year or less is not ideal. The recommendation is to check tires monthly, if not more frequently. Tread depth should be part of that inspection. Bald and overly-worn tires are unsafe. For many states, minimum means 2/32" (and realistically, you should replace tires before they hit this).

A related point of interest is that many drivers rely on another source to tell them when it's time to replace the tires.

• 39% of drivers rely on professionals to tell them when it's time to replace tires
• 28% of drivers rely on friends and family members to tell them to replace tires

If you suspect your tires are worn but aren't confident in your assessment, don't hesitate to visit a professional tire shop for assistance. This way, you can learn where your tire measurements come in at and make a decision.

And if you're among the percentage of drivers who don't check tires monthly, ask yourself why. It's always possible to start good habits, so give yourself a new resolution that you can start anytime. 

Tire Service in St. Paul, MN

If you need tire service in St. Paul, MN, stop by Marshall Cretin Auto Care.

We provide a variety of tire services, including:

• Tire rotation
• Wheel and tire balance
• Tire installation
• TPMS service
• Flat tire repair

If you're running into issues with irregular tread wear, we're also on hand to identify the cause and correct it. The reasons your tires may be wearing faster than usual or with off wear patterns can be due to underinflation and misalignment, among other causes.