Tires. They are quite an important and elemental part of any vehicle - I think we would all agree. Without one of these 4 symmetrical parts that great and attractive piece of machinery we paid for goes nowhere. These perfect spheres originated by some really smart inventors like Michelin in the 1830’s. Then in the 1840’s Charles Goodyear added vulcanized rubber, or, Caoutchouc – a name which came from the Indian word “cahuchu,” meaning “weeping wood.”  

One hundred and eighty years later, ‘the tire’ has been transformed and upgraded in extraordinary fashion. The technology and R & D investments used in the tire industry would make your head spin. (Sorry, it was too easy. I HAD to write that.) But, let’s take a closer look. In today’s world of lifecycle, turnover, and marketplace economics, while there are about 1 billion tires produced annually, not all of them actually get sold to consumers. Countless number of tires sit on retail shelves year in and year out. And, in the meantime, another billion units of tires are produced.

Ladies, take just a few minutes to educated yourself in two areas about the tires on your vehicle– consider that the safety of yourself and your family depends on it:

1.  In the United Sates, the shelf life of a tire can actually be 6 years after it’s manufactured. Have you purchased something - anything - and not used it once in 6 years? Be sure, there could be some aspects of it’s functionality that may not be up to snuff. In the case of six year old tires the tread can be prone to separate from the rest of the tire. Click on the eye-opening 9 minute segment from ABC’s 20/ 20 <20/20 report> on aged tires and the hazards of driving on them.  Educate and arm yourself so at the local tire shop, or national chain store, you are not taken for a ride.

2. Conduct the simple penny test to know when your tire needs to be replaced. <The penny test>  

Be in the Driver’s Seat,

Anne