Your tires are some of the most important parts of your car. Yet, they are often the most ignored, unless one pops or otherwise goes flat. Yet, not doing proper maintenance of your tires could lead to a greater risk of accidents, especially on Connecticut’s slick winter roads.
Even when the tread is only halfway worn, tires lose a significant amount of grip. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently conducted a study on 11,500 vehicles. Of those, nearly half had at least one tire with a tread that was worn out, and 10 percent had a tire that was completely bald.
Worn tires are especially dangerous on wet roads. Treads are designed to channel water out from under the car and maintain grip on the road. When the tread is worn, it is unable to channel out the water, resulting in hydroplaning. If a car hydroplanes, it essentially skims on the water and stops responding to the steering wheel, leading to many accidents on Connecticut roads.
When your tire groove depth is worn down to an eighth of an inch, it is recommended you replace your tires. This is the halfway point of your tread, and that point is generally reached after 25,000 to 40,000 miles, depending on the manufacturer of the tire. If you drive on tires with any lower tread, there is about a 10 percent decline in grip during the rain and a 15 percent reduction in traction when it’s snowing.
If you have been in a car accident caused by a driver with balding tires, you may be entitled to compensation. An experienced attorney may be able to provide more in-depth information and advice.
