Trucker Safety Tips: Time to Check Out Your Tires

Truck Tire Safety

Being away from your family, dealing with traffic, and getting blamed for the screw-ups of shippers and receivers can easily distract you from the importance of monitoring your tires. In addition to being a major safety issue, under-inflated tires don't last as long, and increase the cost for fuel and other maintenance issues.

A truck's tires are manufactured using some of the most advanced technology available. They are expensive and have the safety of your cargo, your life, and the lives of other drivers riding on them. Use these tips to keep your truck rolling as safely and efficiently as possible.

• Always have an accurate air pressure gauge that has been calibrated with a master gauge. Make checking tire air pressure part of your daily routine.
• Visually inspect your tires every time you stop and before getting under way.
• Take a minute to check the inside tires and your spare tire too.
• Driving on a flat tire damages the wheel and increases the weight on other tires, causing excess wear.
• Ideally use the same brand of tires with equal mileage. Don't mix normal tread tires with deep tread tires or radials with bias-ply tires.
• You should never weld on a wheel or apply heat to it when a tire is mounted to it.
• Be sure that tires not currently being used are stored properly to prevent damage and deterioration.
• When inflating tires, always use a safety cage.
• Servicing tires and rims should only be done by experienced professionals.
• Tires that ran with less than 80 percent of recommended air pressure should be removed and thoroughly inspected.

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