A Tip for Summer Driving:Save $200 in Gas by Checking Your Tires

One of the fastest ways to rob a vehicle of good gas mileage is to ignore the tires. There are many different ways that tires can affect the fuel economy of your car. Checking that you are riding on correctly inflated tires is one of the easiest ways to save money on fuel.

According to statistics provided by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Energy Information Administration, the Possible savings of avoiding under inflated tires is between $100.00 to $200.00 per year depending upon how much you drive and how under inflated your tires may be.

Twenty-three per cent (23%) of cars have at least one (1) tire under inflated by more than twenty percent (20%) according to the Canadian Office of Energy Efficiency. In addition to hurting your fuel consumption, under inflated tires can also lead to poor steering and delayed or bad braking. those factors describe situations where under inflated tires can be dangerous. Although using a tire gauge is the only way to be certain what pressure your tires contain, a telltale sign of under inflated tires are squealing when stopping or cornering even at moderate speeds, particularly on warm pavement.

Operating a vehicle with just one tire under-inflated by 20% (8 psi) can increase the vehicle's fuel consumption by 4%. In addition it can reduce the life of the tire by over 9000 miles. Tires are permeable, meaning that air can and does leach through the tire walls. A tire can lose up to 2 psi (pounds of pressure) per month. This is even more critical in summer as more air is lost in hot weather as the pores in the tire material expand.

When a tire is under inflated, the sides of a tire bend and flex too much. This builds up heat. As stated earlier heat can accelerate air loss in tires. So an under inflated tire will continue to lose air at an increasing rate.

Under inflation also causes the tire to increase rolling resistance which also increases fuel consumption. In addition under inflated tires can cause serious damage to the tire walls can lead to sudden tire failure.

To maintain proper inflation levels, measure the air pressure in your vehicle's tires at least once a month. Measure your tire pressure when your tires are cold. "Cold" means that a vehicle has been stationary for at least three hours or has not been driven more than 1 mile.

It is a great idea to keep a pressure gauge in your car. Check the air pressure of the tires often. If you can keep your tires at the correct inflation levels you should realize a savings of between $100.00 and $200.00 per year in fuel. Although proper tire pressure will save you gas and money, it could also prevent tire damage that could lead to accidents. Not only will you be contributing to your fuel economy you will be maintaining the safety of your vehicle.