Safe Driving Tips for Fall

The changing color of the leaves and the gray, rainy days of fall create a very particular kind of driving risk. Keep yourself and your family safe by remembering the following:

Stopping on wet roads can take up to four times the normal distance. Also, your tires may skim over the surface of the road with little or no traction. Give yourself (and the other drivers) plenty of space and room to stop.

In a sudden downpour, driving fast may cause your tires to lose grip with the road. Better to slow down. Slowing down in the rain will help keep your tires on the road and your vehicle out of the ditch.

When rain water mixes with oil or grime on the streets, slippery conditions can appear and may result in unexpected skidding. Slow down and pay attention to the possibility of skidding.

Wet leaves on the road provide NO traction at all. Be aware of this (and other) potential hazards as you drive.

As you prepare to head out this fall, here are four services you should consider:

  1. Proper Inflation. Maintaining proper air pressure is the single most important thing drivers can do for their tires. In the space of just one month, a tire can lose two pounds of air pressure.
  2. Balance and Alignment. Having your tires balanced and your vehicle properly aligned is important not only to the longevity of the tire but also to the safety of the driver and to the performance of the car.
  3. Regular Rotation. The weight of a vehicle is not evenly distributed to all four tires. Therefore, regular rotation is necessary to maintain even treadwear and get the most out of your tires.
  4. Visual Inspection. Giving your tires a good visual once-over can help you discover punctures or other visible signs of damage that may make replacement necessary. The next time you check the air pressure of your tires, scan the treads for any sharp objects that may have punctured your tires. Even if the puncture is not deep enough to flatten the tire immediately, the cracking and pitting caused by smaller punctures can eventually worsen and lead to problems down the road.

Visit Appalachian Tire today for the safest of fall driving.