If you are like many families, summer means it is time once again for the family’s vacation road trip. There is just something special about cramming luggage and kids in the car and heading off for areas unknown. Not only is it fantastic to see new things, but that time spent together on the road with your kids creates memories far more special than the hours spent wrestling for the armrest in an airplane after getting an uncomfortable pat-down at the gate.
There are two ways to approach a road trip – one is to plan out every step of the itinerary, including all sights to see and places to rest, and the other is to let the wind (or enticing billboards broadcasting the world’s largest ball of twine or some other unique tourist trap) carry you along. There is one thing that can derail your plans, or lack thereof, sometimes in a very serious way – tire failure. Your vacation and perhaps even your very lives are depending on those four round hunks of rubber, so it is imperative to have them checked out and see if it is time for tire replacement before you hit the road.
It is not always easy to tell if your car’s tires are safe because there is more to it than simply the amount of tread remaining. Tires degrade over time and can experience dry-rot. Weather, UV exposure, oils on the road, and other chemicals can cause the rubber to lose its flexibility. This is the most dangerous tire to have on your car because when they fail, they often blowout instead of just go flat.
Before your road trip this summer, stop by and see our professional tire replacement staff at Highway Tire Service & Collision. It’s okay to be flexible with your itinerary by not having set plans, as long as your first plan is a safe vehicle. More than your car is riding on the tires!