When you think about driver safety, perhaps you think about following traffic laws or wearing your seatbelt. Indeed, these are important standards, but there are other considerations that may be even more impactful. If your car is mechanically unsound, for example, safety precautions will be irrelevant. You need to ensure that your vehicle is safe to operate — especially as fall draws closer. This means it’s time to inspect your tires and get them ready for colder weather — or, if they have exceeded their lifespan, invest in replacements. Find out why wheel and tire packages can improve your vehicle’s safety this fall.
Sudden Weather Changes
As fall arrives, temperatures will start to fluctuate and weather may become unpredictable. These changes can cause driving conditions to become unpredictable, too, and this can compromise your safety if you aren’t prepared. If rain were to suddenly hit, the slickness of the pavement may put you at risk of sliding — or worse — suffering a collision. The likelihood of such an accident will be exacerbated if the tread on your tires is too worn. This is why off-road tires tend to be safer in a variety of conditions — they feature a deeper tread that maintains traction more easily.
If you go off-roading regularly, investing in all-terrain tires may be a good idea — and they can offer the added bonus of protection in inclement weather. If you prefer to keep your standard tires, though, you can ensure that they’re safe by inspecting the wear of the tread. To do this, take a look at the grooves in the tire — you can even grab a coin and put it in the indent. If the grooves appear to be deep, and the coin is partially submerged in the groove, it’s likely that they still have sufficient tread to handle various weather conditions.
Suspension For Flooding
If you live in an area where hurricanes or floods are likely to happen, you will need to take additional precautions to keep your tires safe. Investing in an option like the Mickey Thompson mud tires can help, and modifying your vehicle’s suspension will offer an additional level of safety. You can adjust your suspension with a lift kit that contains parts such as axels, shocks, and CV joints. Simply replace your vehicle’s existing suspension with these parts, and in doing so, give a few extra inches of clearance from the ground below.
This is a wise move to make in the fall for several reasons. If you are at risk of flooding, the additional height will protect your undercarriage from the debris and water that it may otherwise come into contact with. It will also protect your tires by empowering them with greater grip, which is essential when rain, floods, and unpredictable weather threaten to strike. Without these upgrades, you could end up stuck in the snow or find yourself hydroplaning across a puddle. Protect yourself and your vehicle by upgrading your tires before fall weather can take its toll.
