We all know (or should!) that tires that are driven underinflated create unnecessary drag on a vehicle, which in turn reduces the number of miles the vehicle will deliver for every gallon of fuel used.

And most readers of our news releases understand that much of the tire debris on our highways (also known as Road Alligators or just Rubber on the Road) is caused by underinflated tires.

But here’s another reason why it is important to keep your tires properly inflated. Tires that are driven long distances at high speeds while underinflated can generate excessive heat and when they fail can be responsible for fires that can destroy the vehicle and its contents, and sometimes even lives.

We hope the above scares you, because it should.

Responsible motorists – whether driving an 18-wheeler or a small four-wheel car – should check the air pressure in their tires on a regular basis. Tires should be checked least once a month for a four-wheeler and at least once weekly for an eighteen-wheeler. And not by kicking the tires, because if you think you can tell how much air is in your tires by kicking them, you should just kick the fuel tank of your vehicle to see if it needs fuel.

A tire gauge should be used. If you drive a four-wheeler a small gauge will work fine, but you should change the gauge about once a year since most gauges will lose their accuracy after being banged around or dropped a few times. A small tire gauge will not cost much and is a good investment. Do yourself a favor and buy the best gauge in the store. It will more than pay for itself.

If you drive an 18-wheeler you should have a tire gauge that can be calibrated and you should check it regularly! Even though you may pay a bit more for a gauge that can be calibrated, it is a good investment and will pay big dividends!

Properly maintained truck tires that are driven with the correct amount of air during their first life will be more retreadable and this alone should be a motivation to keep your tires properly inflated and to check them often. All major brand truck tires are designed for multiple lives; to not retread them is a waste of money and is also not helping the environment.