Many people tend to neglect their car's tyres, almost forgetting how important they are. Tyres are a vital part of modern transport; all it takes is one blown tyre to leave you stranded on the side of a road. If you want to save yourself from situations like that, then you need to get educated within the field of tyre maintenance. So, what are some things you can do to increase the life of your tyres?

Check Your Tyre Pressure Monthly

Low tyre pressure harms fuel economy, decreases brake control, warps steering, and most notably, jeopordises your safety. Find out the optimal PSI for your particular tyres, and stick to it. Also, if you don't want to go to a fuel station every month to check your tyres' PSI, buy a tyre gauge; they're inexpensive and can last a lifetime, due to their simplicity of design. An air pump which can be used for tyres is also sometimes a great investment.

Learn Your Tyres' Load Capacity

You should certainly never exceed your tyres' load capacity, as doing so can lead to the sudden failure of a tyre. The load capacity is calculated and tested by experienced and educated professionals, so never question it.

Frequently Inspect Your Tires:

At least once a month, and definitely before long trips, you should inspect your tyres for abnormalities. If problems with your tyre are spotted sooner than later, the chances of being able to repair the tyre, instead of replacing it, is much higher. Some abnormalities which you should particularly keep an eye out for are:

• Bulging. Often a sign of a faulty inner-tube, tyre bulging is often unrepairable. You should permanently dispose of the tyre for your safety, as it could burst while in use.
• Cracks. Depending on the severity and location, a crack on your tyre can be fixable; a mechanic can often recommend fillers or adhesives to fix your issue or offer replacements if necessary.
• Low tread Depth. If a tyre has any less than .8 millimetres of tread, you shouldn't really drive with it. Throw it out, or take it in to get re-treaded, if possible. The sooner, the safer.
• Uneven wear. Often a sign of other potentially dangerous issues, uneven wear can be fixed by the resolving of the problem causing it, which will increase the life of your tyre.

Driving at Reasonable Speeds

Driving at high speeds greatly increases the damage to a tyre when obstacles are hit. For example, cornering slowly will not only decrease damage if a curb is hit, but it will also undoubtedly increase the life of your tyres' tread, due to the high levels of uneven friction on the tread.

Keep a Spare Tyre

Keep a spare tyre in your car at all times, and use it whenever one of you other tyres has any problems. Using a tyre when it has any issues will, as said before, greatly decrease the chances of it being able to be repaired.

For more information and tips, talk with tyre specialists, such as those at O'Neills Tyres.