The Auto IDEA
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The Auto IDEA
The Best and Latest News on All Things in the Car Kingdom!
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The winter season is typically one of the busiest times of the year for travelers. While millions prepare to hit the road to visit family and see sights they may never have seen before, there’s one essential travel tip that cannot be overlooked: the proper tires. Learn the best time to install your winter tires and how to keep them in safe condition with these guidelines.
6 Steps to Safer Winter Driving
(Family Features) The winter season is typically one of the busiest times of the year for travelers. While millions prepare to hit the road to visit family and see sights they may never have seen before, there’s one essential travel tip that cannot be overlooked: the proper tires. Winter tires are an essential safety feature for drivers and deliver as much as a 25-50 percent increase in traction over all-season tires, which could be the margin you need to brake in time to avoid trouble. Winter tire tread design uses thousands of extra traction edges for added grip, and the softer rubber of the tire surface allows the tires to stay pliable in colder temperatures to maintain contact with the road. In addition, winter tires feature aggressive groove patterns for more confident grip on ice, slush and snow. Learn the best time to install your winter tires and how to keep them in safe condition with these guidelines from the experts at Discount Tire: Plan ahead. A good rule of thumb: if you can see your breath, you should think about winter tires for all four wheels, even if your area isn’t often affected by ice or snow. When the temperature drops to 45 F and below, all-season tires can start to lose traction and grip. Keep tabs on pressure. Check your tire pressure at least once a month. For every 10-degree drop in temperature, your tires lose one pound of pressure (PSI). Use a tire pressure gauge to get the proper reading or stop by a tire store, such as your local Discount Tire, for a free air check. Check your tread with the penny test. Tread depth determines a vehicle’s safe stopping distance. To check your tread depth, stick a penny upside-down in a tread groove. It’s time to replace your tires if Lincoln’s head is visible. Know the limitations of all-wheel drive. Drivers often mistake all-wheel drive as sufficient for driving in sleet or snow. In reality, all-wheel drive only helps you start from a stop. It doesn’t function in the stopping or steering of a vehicle. Designate a winter set of wheels, too. Having a set of wheels specifically for your set of winter tires can save you money in the long run. A second set of wheels eliminates the cost of changeover and spares nicer wheels from the wear and tear of ice, slush, snow and salt. Extend your winter tires’ use. Rotate your tires at least every 6,000 miles, or earlier if irregular or uneven wear develops. Change out your winter tires around tax season. This can help avoid wearing out the rubber in hot months and increase the tires’ lifespans. As you prepare for winter travel season, visit discounttire.com to find a tire store near you, or search for winter tires specific to your vehicle’s make and model. SOURCE:Discount Tire KEYWORDS
 Avoid Towing Trauma According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 20,000 people require medical attention every year as a result of crashes involving trailers towed by passenger vehicles. These recreational outings don’t need to go sideways — nor does whatever you may be towing. Here’s a safety checklist to ensure you are towing the right way.(BPT) - The onset of warmer weather means taking to the outdoors, be it boating, camping or simply tackling big jobs in the backyard. The result is a heavy increase in traffic on the roads — and often tagging along with the extra vehicles are the trailers, boats and campers that can put motorists at risk. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 20,000 people require medical attention every year as a result of crashes involving trailers towed by passenger vehicles. These recreational outings don’t need to go sideways — nor does whatever you may be towing. Here’s a safety checklist to ensure you are towing the right way: Get hitched: A starting point to towing is knowing the pulling capacity of your vehicle, as too much weight can cause a load of problems, no matter how much power your engine has. When it comes to connecting a trailer to the towing vehicle, a critical component, of course, is the coupler — the part of the hitch system that is attached to the trailer. The coupler needs to be secured, tight and locked. On the towing vehicle, avoid using a ball mount and hitch that is rusted, cracked, corroded or poorly designed — anything that can compromise its integrity. A safe answer is applying a new hitch, like the Ultra-Tow Complete Tow Kit, which is a durable and easy solution to pull whatever you’re towing. Bottom line: Always reference the “coupling to tow vehicle” section of your vehicle manual to make sure it is done right. Feel the (tire) pressure: An often forgotten element on the trailer towing checklist is making sure the trailer’s tire pressure is at the right level. In addition, inspect tires for wear or trauma — and be sure to have a spare. Be a chain agent: Once you place and pop in the coupler over the ball mount, the next step is applying the safety chains, which need to be rigged to the tow vehicle. Avoid the common mistake of rigging the safety chains to the hitch or ball mount itself. Safety chains are federal law and will keep the trailer from drifting in the event the trailer coupling separates from the ball mount. Light it up: No matter what you’re driving, communicating with other vehicles is paramount to safety — and that means having properly working brake, tail and turn signal lights. Before departing, sync up the trailer lights with the tow vehicle and test it out so that other motorists will know your actions. Locked down and loaded: Once everything is hitched, it’s time to load up the cargo. It’s best to be balanced with weight distribution, but put heavier cargo in the front of the trailer. And of course, do not overload. This pre-departure checklist is only a start. Once on the road, remember the basic safe driving practices when towing a trailer: Drive at moderate speeds, avoid sudden stops, don’t use cruise control and allow more distance for stopping. No matter how much of a rush you are in to hit the road this summer, don’t take any shortcuts when it comes to towing safely. KEYWORDS
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