It is a major safety hazard to drive on worn, bald, and low tread tires. Tires with low tread negatively impact the driver’s ability to handle the car in a safe manner.
Tires with low tread have limited braking ability. Often the low tread tires will skid or skip because there is not enough traction to slow the vehicle quickly. Driving on worn or low tread tires is especially dangerous on mud, ice, or snow covered roads, and you are more likely to hydroplane when it is raining.
With low treads, the tires themselves are weaker and there is a higher risk for damage or blow out from extreme heat. They are more likely to incur a sudden puncture as the protective payers are not as strong and thick. Heat blowouts, puncture blow outs, and other causes to lost air pressure in tires can cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle, and this danger is even greater at higher speeds.
According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, you should evaluate your tire tread at least once a month. A simple way to inspect the tread on your tires is with the penny test.
The Penny Test for Sufficient Tire Tread
The penny test is a quick way to observe the tread level of your tires, and determine if they need to be replaced. To view your tire tread via the penny test, vertically place the coin on the thinnest part of the tire, downward, so Abraham Lincoln’s image is upside-down on the tread — the level of which the tread covers the head of Abraham Lincoln will be your gauge for tire thickness. If the tread doesn’t cover Lincoln’s head on the penny, the tire tread is dangerously low and the tires need to be replaced.
Worn, low tread tires are well-documented as a danger to all. To prevent these dangers, properly maintaining your tires is a law in Georgia, Alabama, and many other states.
Vehicle maintenance is an essential component of road safety. If you were involved in an accident, call The Mark Casto Law Firm, PC at 706-450-7071 to schedule a free consultation. Or, get in touch with our team by completing our contact form.