The importance of proper tire care

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – Before you hit the road for your Labor Day weekend getaway, you may want to take a look at your car’s tires.

The average person drives approximately 15,000 miles a year, and many are not maintaining their tires correctly.

It is incredibly important to make sure your tires are properly inflated.

“Under-inflated tires is the leading cause of accidents due to tire failure,” said Jay Nelson, President of Excel Tire Gauge .

In addition to being safe, there are other advantages to proper tire care.

“The average driver loses about 44 gallons a year due to under inflated tires, you can also extend the life of your tires from 30-40 percent,” added Nelson.

Nelson says that drivers should check their tire pressure at least once a month, especially in warmer weather because they’ll become under-inflated.

Having properly-inflated tires is also something that teens and college students should know, who are hitting the roads and going back to school.

Friday through Monday, participating Shell gas stations in Rhode Island are going to be hosting free "Calibrate Your Tires" days.

For more information about Excel Tire Gauge and a list of participating locations, just head to exceltiregauge.com !