Road Trip Season, Get Your Car Ready to Hit the Road With These Tips

Woot! It’s road trip season; my favourite time of the year. There is nothing better than the call of the open road, so when the winter tires come off, I start planning road trips all over Ontario. But first, I make sure my car is up to snuff.

This is the third year that I’ve partnered with Kaltire in the spring, to educate my readers on the importance of their tires. Last year we talked about the damage potholes could do, and the year before that I shared why spring tune ups are so important. This year, as road trip season approaches we’re talking about tire inflation, and I can not tell a lie, until Kaltire mentioned it I never even thought about it. I can’t unring the bell now though, so I need to share this with you because it’s important.

50% of vehicles on the road in Canada have a least one tire that is either over or under- inflated by more than 10% and some by up to 20%.

When I first read that stat I shrugged thinking “So what?”, but…..

Under-inflated tires cause compromised handling and increase the risk of blowouts and crashes. They also cost the driver more due to quicker tire wear, increased fuel consumption and greater susceptibility to damage from potholes.

Blowouts. *shivers* I don’t know about you but every time I see tires pieces on the highway, I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I never want to be that person. The thing is with the technology in today’s tires, it can be impossible to tell just by looking at a tire if is under-inflated to the point of impacting the performance of the vehicle. Case in point, can you tell which tire is flat by looking at this picture?

Now that you know all this, it’s time to become an expert at tire inflation and thankfully it’s easy to master.

After determining the manufacturer’s recommended pressure (often indicated on a door jam sticker or the owner’s manual in your car), simply check pressure with a reliable gauge and at the right time (when tires haven’t been driven for at least a few hours), and then inflate, preferably at a tire service centre.

“We recommend checking at the outset of every trip, but it’s also good to get in the habit of checking once a month or even every time you fill up with gas. It just takes a few minutes and you’re going to be rewarded with tire life and performance, and, of course, safety,” says Kaltire expert Sharma.