subject: Your Driving Habits Affect The Life Of Your Tires [print this page] As you prepare to set foot inside your tire retailer's showroom you should be ready to give an honest assessment of your driving habits. In much the same way as you need to level with your primary care physician on your dietary habits, you need to let your tire salesperson know the kind of driver you are so they can provide the best tire recommendations for your situation.
Your daily commute, the type of traffic you encounter, the roads you frequently travel, whether you use your vehicle as part of your job ... these are all important factors to share with your tire salesperson as you begin to weigh your options.
So what kind of driver are you, anyway?
It shouldn't come as a surprise that 'how' you drive can have an even greater impact on your car than 'how often' you drive. Aggressive driving in particular can have a significant impact on the life of your tires, as well as affecting fuel and maintenance costs.
Fleet supervisors, who manage car and truck fleets, measure their costs by the mile and are always on the lookout for ways to lower their per-mile costs. They fully understand how aggressive, unsafe driving habits often lead to lost productivity, and it's wise for consumers to understand this as well to avoid unnecessary costs. Aggressive drivers are involved in more accidents, leading to added repair costs and the higher insurance rates that are associated with these crashes. With such a strong focus on saving money in this difficult economy, it's vital that drivers fully factor the costs associated with aggressive driving and their impact on higher fuel, tire and maintenance costs.
Typically, aggressive drivers push their vehicles to the limit. They tend to accelerate hard, which adds undue stress to the engine and transmission, and wastes fuel. Quite often aggressive drivers tailgate, causing more frequent braking that adversely affects brake parts and tire wear. And most of all, aggressive drivers speed, increasing fuel consumption and tire wear. This behavior costs companies and consumers a significant amount in repairs and fuel, much more than drivers who follow the speed limit and maintain proper following distance.
Proper driving habits have a positive impact on everyone's bottom line. The U.S. government has created a website to educate the public about the waste of fuel from improper driving. Here are some statements from the site:
* You can improve gas mileage by around 3.3% by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4% for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.
* Filling your tires with Nitrogen, a more stable air, will help keep your tires properly inflated for longer and won't react to weather conditions like air does.
* Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds and by 5% around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.
* Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas.
More experienced drivers tend to be smarter drivers. Smart drivers know that 'driving smart' can extend the life of their tires and help their fuel economy, all of which delivers more 'mileage' out of their transportation budget.
Smart drivers know that cornering affects tire mileage and they plan ahead to map routes with fewer sharp turns. Smart drivers know that frequent lane changing causes excessive 'scrubbing' on treads, so they make subtle lane changes. And, smart drivers frequently check their tire pressure.
We can all become smarter drivers, and help increase our tire life, by remembering these smart driving tips:
* Avoid speeding. The high heat that is created when driving at high speeds will increase the rate of tire wear and reduce the tire's durability.
* Don't take corners and turns at high rates of speed.
* Avoid fast starts and quick stops.
* Don't drive on the edge of the road or over curbs, pot-holes or other obstacles.
* Always maintain proper tire inflation.
There are a wide variety of tire options available to you as you enter your tire discounter's store. Knowing your habits, and passing that information along to your tire salesperson, will make sure that you leave the store with the right tires for your car and your driving.
