Well Inflated Tires Help Save Gas Mileage

The price of gasoline is very volatile. It regularly rises and drops in relation to world events, the time of the year and consumer demand. Everyone who needs to drive regularly is always searching for a way to reduce the price of fuel. One effective way to lower the cost of gas is to use less of it. An expensive way to do this is to purchase a new fuel-efficient vehicle. A much less costly way that can save hundreds of dollars in gasoline every year is to keep tires properly inflated at all times.

Cars and trucks rely heavily on properly inflated tires for a number of reasons. Correct tire pressure allows the car turn, accelerate and stop exactly as the manufacturer intended. A good percentage of vehicles that are on the road have at least one tire that is underinflated. This increases the surface area of the tire that is in contact with the road at any given point. The result is that the increased amount of friction creates more resistance that forces the engine to work harder to turn the wheels. This requires more power causing the engine to use more gasoline.

Every tire and vehicle has a specific amount of pressure that should exist inside of the tire. This amount is carefully calculated so that the tire touches the road with just enough friction to provide the handling that is necessary for safe operation. A well inflated tire means that the engine will be working as efficiently as it can when moving the car. This will save fuel. It can save more than 3.3 percent over the course of a single year. This translates into hundreds of dollars’ worth of gas for someone who drives every day. Additionally, if all drivers keep tires well inflated it can reduce national oil usage by over 1 billion barrels each year. This can help to keep the cost of gas lower at the pump.

It is important to check tire pressure at least once a month. It is also important not to overinflate tires because this can make it harder to brake and turn. Properly inflated tires will last longer because they have less wear. This can mean purchasing fewer tires over the years reducing the cost of maintenance for the vehicle. The proper tire pressure is listed in the owner’s manual for a car or truck. It is important to also check the printing on the side of the tires themselves because new tires might have different optimal pressure values than what is listed in the owner’s manual.