What Every NJ Driver Ought To Know About Worn Tires

What Every NJ Driver Ought To Know About Worn Tires

Worn tires are one of the most dangerous things you can do in your vehicle and are an accident just waiting to happen. If you like to drive over the speed limit or often travel on wet, slippery roads, you could be in even more danger on bald tires. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that over 26 percent of crashes they studied involved vehicles with insufficient tread.

The Role of Tire Tread

Your tire tread is the part of the tire that grips the road when the weather is bad, such as in rain, snow or ice. They are what keep you in control of your car and prevent you from slipping off the road. If our vehicles only traveled on dry roads, there would be no need for treaded tires. In fact, race cars, like those used in NASCAR, do not have treaded tires. Unfortunately, other than a race track, roads are not always dry and there is very little chance that you will never have to drive in wet conditions.

What Are Tire Treads?

Treads are the small grooves or channels on the surface of your tires. The tread whisks water from the tire when roads are wet so that the tire connects to the road in all weather conditions. They are also important for steering the car, making sure that the vehicle travels in the direction we turn the wheels. When the tread is gone on your tires, it is critical that you replace them as soon as possible. Driving on bald tires are the cause of many accidents.

Increased Hydroplaning Risk

When a layer of water gets between your tire and the surface of the road, the tire cannot grip the road as it is designed to do. This can cause your car to spin out of control and lead to an accident. Keeping good tread on your tires allows the water to move away from the area where the tire meets the road. However, as we drive, the tread on the tires wears away, leading to grooves that are too shallow to direct water as they were designed.

Heat Buildup

As you drive, friction is created between your tires and the surface of the road. This creates heat and, the faster you drive, the more heat the tire must manage. Tread helps to cool the tire due to the air flow between the grooves of the tread. When the heat rises to unsafe levels, a blowout can occur which can cause you to lose control of the vehicle.

Snow and Ice Handling

If you drive in areas with snow and ice through the winter, tires with little or no tread can be extremely dangerous. Tires also have small, thin grooves cut into the edges of the tread known as sipes that help you maintain traction on slippery roads. As tread wears down, the sipes can wear down as well and you could lose control in snowy conditions much more easily than with full-tread tires.

Air Pressure

When your tires have less tread, they can lose air pressure more quickly than tires with the proper tread depth. Although it is always good practice to check your tire pressure regularly, if your tires are bald, they may be losing air quicker than you think. If your tires are bald and underinflated, the danger increases significantly. Underinflated tires have difficulty gripping the road even if it is dry. They can also cause your car to skid during sudden stops and could reduce your gas mileage, costing you additional money in fuel.

If you suspect your tires have low tread, we can inspect them for you and identify what may be causing your tires to wear out. Fill out the form online or give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Here’s What To Do If You’ve Hit A Parked Car

Here's What To Do If You've Hit A Parked Car

According to the National Safety Council, one in five accidents happens in parking lots and a study by Allstate Insurance found that 69 percent of all hit-and-runs involve parked cars. If you hit someone in a parking lot or you discover your vehicle has been damaged in a parking lot, there are things you can do to protect yourself.

Here’s What To Do If You’ve Hit A Parked Car:

Don’t Leave the Scene

Even if you are in a parking lot, striking another car is an accident and the law requires that you remain on the scene. If you leave, you could be charged with a hit-and-run, even if the damage is minor. Most parking lots today have video surveillance so it is highly likely your license plate can be reported to police. If the police have to track you down, the punishment will be severe with fines, possible license suspension and as many as six points added to your license.

Locate the Owner

You can step into a business that uses the parking lot in order to find the owner of the car. Take down the license plate as well as the make and model of the car. If you are in the parking lot of a mall or department store, they should announce over the PA system that the owner needs to report to the parking lot. If you are unable to find the owner, leave a note with your name, address, contact number and an explanation of what happened. Don’t include any insurance information and don’t give too many details. For example, you don’t want to say you were not paying attention as this can be used against you later. Tuck the note under the windshield wiper and be sure to use ink that will not run should it rain. In some states, you can be fined for not leaving contact information.

Photos and Witnesses

If possible, take photos of any damages as well as the license plate number of the other car. This can protect you from the other person claiming damages that did not exist at the time of the accident. Look around to see if anyone else in the parking lot saw what happened. Be sure to get their contact information and ask them to write down what they saw.

If Someone Hits Your Car

If you discover your car has been hit in a parking lot and the person did not stay or leave a note, call the police to get a report. They can ask for video surveillance that could identify the suspect. Take photos and look for witnesses who may have seen the accident.

Always contact your insurance company whether you were at fault in a parking lot accident or it was caused by someone else. For more information, contact us today by filling out the easy form online.