VIDEO: The Importance of Checking Tire Pressure Regularly 

When fleet drivers maintain the correct air pressure in their vehicle’s tires, the benefits include greater safety, better vehicle handling, lower fuel costs and longer tire life.

It’s easy to take tires for granted, but drivers need to make the extra effort to check tire pressure on a regular basis. According to America’s Tire, that means checking every other time you stop for a fuel fill-up – or at least once a month – to ensure all four tires are properly inflated. It's best not to wait until the tire pressure monitoring system’s low tire pressure indicator illuminates on the dashboard instrument panel.

You can find the correct psi reading for your vehicle's tires in the owner’s manual or on the tire placard. It’s best to use your own air gauge instead of one at a gasoline station. Service station meters are often inaccurate because of prolonged exposure to the elements or customer abuse.

Also, remember that a tire can gradually lose air pressure after a nail, screw or other object punctures the tire and causes a slow leak. Symptoms of this problem include the vehicle pulling in one direction, the presence of an unnatural vibration, or an audible clicking sound while driving at slow speeds. Such a puncture requires either immediate tire repair or, if sidewall damage has occurred, tire replacement.

To view an America’s Tire video on checking tire pressure, click on the link or photo under the headline. For more tire maintenance tips, click here.