Tire Maintenance & Safety
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Last updated 6/25/2023 - Originally published 6/25/2023
Written by SimpleTire
Keeping your tires in top condition is crucial for both driver and passenger safety. This is why National Tire Safety Week 2023 is an industry-led initiative that educates consumers on proper tire care and maintenance. This annual event teaches consumers simple and essential steps to help prevent accidents caused by tire failure. Taking care of your vehicle's tires can be as simple as checking your tire pressure regularly and ensuring your tires have enough tread.
Proper tire maintenance offers numerous benefits, from enhanced safety to financial savings and environmental protection. First and foremost, keeping your tires in good condition can prevent accidents caused by compromised traction and reduced control. A well-maintained tire also tends to have a longer lifespan, saving you money in the long run by delaying the need for expensive replacements. Additionally, properly inflating and regularly rotating your tires can improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, helping protect the environment. So let's work together to make sure our tires are safe and reliable on every journey.
It might seem like a lot to keep your ride on the road, but some brands are finding new ways to help drivers check their tires quickly. Here are six different technologies that allow drivers to quickly inspect their tires.
Continental’s QuickView Indicators
Continental Tire's QuickView indicators are the ultimate game-changer when it comes to keeping an eye on your tire's performance level. With the QuickView indicators located in the tire tread, drivers can now easily check their tire's performance. But it doesn't stop there. These visual signals also ensure you can see if your tires are wearing evenly and let you know when it's time to check your vehicle's alignment. So whether planning a long road trip or running errands around town, you can have peace of mind knowing your tires are performing at their best.
Tire wear can be hard to gauge, but with Tuned Performance Indicators, it's a piece of cake. The three letters, D, W, and S precisely, are molded into the tire tread to denote the tire's condition in different weather conditions. D represents Dry, W stands for Wet, and S for Snow. As the tire wears, these letters fade away in reverse order. When the S disappears, it indicates that the tire is no longer ideal for snow traction. Similarly, when the W fades away, it shows that the tire is no longer optimal in wet conditions, and when the D disappears, it indicates that the tire has met the minimum tread depth for optimal dry road performance and must be replaced. With Tuned Performance Indicators, you can always drive safely and confidently, knowing precisely when it's time for new tires.
The Alignment Verification System is a groundbreaking feature ensuring you're always driving confidently. This innovative system consists of three rectangles molded into both sides of the outer tire tread directly across from one another. These rectangles are the key to keeping your vehicle's alignment in check. When the same number of rectangles appear on each side, you can be sure that your tires are wearing evenly and that your alignment is straight. However, if you notice more rectangles on one side than the other, it's time to check your alignment before any uneven wear occurs.
With Continental's QuickView Indicators, you can be sure that you're getting the most out of your vehicle, no matter the road conditions.
Hankook’s Triangle Symbol
Triangles and tires typically aren’t two things that go together, but Hankook Tire has found a way to make these two work together. To do this, the brand incorporates triangles on the corner of each tread block that are aligned to the wear bars within each groove. As the tire wears down, so too does the wear bar, and when the bar is at the same level as the triangle then it’s time for drivers to purchase a new set of tires.
General Tire Replacement Tire Monitor
General Tire's Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) is an innovative feature that warns you when your tire is worn and needs replacement. The TWI (Tread Wear Indicator) bars will indicate when the tire has reached the minimum tread depth. But that's not all - General Tire's Replacement Tire Monitor rids you of the hassle of constantly replacing tires and offers you a solution to long-lasting tires.
The Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) is a handy tool for all drivers who want to ensure their tires are in top condition. With the words "Replacement Tire Monitor" inscribed three times on the new tire's circumferential rib, you won't forget what you're looking for. When the tire reaches the minimum tread depth indicated by the Tread Wear Indicator (TWI) bars, the phrasing changes to "Replace Tire," warning you that it's time to visit the tire store. Don't let worn-out tires put your ride at risk. With the RTM, you can confidently drive on the road, knowing you'll receive a timely reminder when it's time to replace your tires.
General Tire Visual Alignment Indicator
General Tire's Replacement Tire Monitor is also equipped with the Visual Alignment Indicator (VAI). This helps drivers avoid irregular wear of their tires by merely checking wheel misalignment. The VAI is two additional sipes embedded three times into the tire's circumference on the opposite shoulder blocks. By checking the VAI, a driver can identify abnormalities in tire wear and address the issue before the tire is damaged. With this feature, drivers can feel confident they're keeping their vehicles in top shape.
Cooper Wear Square
Being able to visually see how your tires are wearing will never be as accurate as the penny test, but Cooper Tires is doing their best to make visual checks more accurate.
A unique technology to the brand, many Cooper tires feature Wear Square technology on the shoulder blocks as a way for drivers to quickly check their tread life. Wear Squares start as a full square, and will gradually wear down to an exclamation point when the tire at 2/32nds of an inch of tread remaining, which is when many States require drivers to change their tires. That being said, there’s plenty of time for drivers to monitor their tread depth as the Wear Square goes through four stages before becoming an exclamation point.
Nokian Driving Safety Indicators
The world’s northernmost tire manufacturer, Nokian Tires might be known for their winter tires and Finnish roots, but this company is constantly at the forefront of innovation. From fuel efficiency to Aramid fibers and everything in between, Nokian is always looking for a way to further enhance and differentiate their tires in a crowded environment, and that’s where their Driving Safety Indicators come in.
On the center rib of most Nokian tires, you’ll see percentages that go from 100% to 0% and are lower by 20% each time. While easy to overlook, these numbers actually tell drivers what percentage of their tread is left, and the number will fade away when that percentage is no longer available. In most cases, drivers should look to replace their tires when there is 20% tread remaining, as this will likely mean that the tire only has 3/32nds or 4/32nds left.
Are tire wear bars and wear indicators the same thing?
You might've noticed bars within your tread and wondered if these are the same thing as wear indicators. While tire wear bars do serve a similar purpose, they are not the same as wear indicators; think of wear bars as a built in penny test while wear indicators are easier to see and understand. For more information on tire wear bars, a look at this article from our friends at Car Talk.
Maintenance isn’t a one week project
National Tire Safety Week might be one week per year, but it’s important to practice good safety habits with your car and tires year-round. Regularly checking your tread, rotating your tires, inflating them to the correct pressure, practicing safe following distances, changing your oil, and many other things go into keeping your ride in tip-top shape.
Fortunately, many tire manufacturers are coming up with ways to make maintenance easier on drivers, and Continental, General, Hankook, Cooper, and Nokian are a few of the many brands who are finding new and innovative ways to visually show drivers that they need new tires.