While interiors and exteriors of cars are regularly polished and the engine is spruced up, there are parts of the car more neglected than they should be. After all, when was the last time you happened to check your car tires? You may not remember.

You are not really alone in ignoring your car’s tire health. Most people neglect their tires thinking that these are a static component of their vehicle that will last for a long time. This is an erroneous notion with no scientific basis as tires also need to be taken care of. Tires undergo wear and tear like any other component of the car. Seasonal changes and fluctuations in the temperature can also have a detrimental effect on tire integrity. As such, it is important to be ever vigilant and keep a watchful eye on them, lest bad tires lead to problematic or dangerous scenarios.

Let’s examine a car tire safety checklist that has some important pointers to keep in mind.

• Get matching replacement tires

This tip should be at the top of anyone’s car tire safety checklist. When the time comes to replace the tires on the vehicle, it is important to get a set of tires that matches the specifications of your vehicle to ensure its smooth functioning. These tires need to be identical in size to the original gear and equipment and this will help ensure that the performance of your vehicle is optimal.

The appropriate specs for tires can be found by perusing through the owner’s manual. Alternatively, you can run a quick search of the year, model, and make which will throw up the desired results. When it comes to your car tire safety, it is better to not want to cut corners.

• Make an assessment of tire pressure

Tire pressure is one of the key indicators when it comes to tire performance and you need it to be just right. If it is too much or too little, this will result in the inhibition of tire performance and uneven tread wear. It can also certainly shorten the lifespan of the tire. Moreover, incorrect pressure also creates uneven contact with the road surface all along the width of the tire and as a consequence brings down the overall performance of the car. You can refer to your owner’s manual for the right air pressure. Additionally, investing in a quality digital tire gauge will pay dividends in the future as it is convenient and easy to use.

• Pair road conditions and tire type

Taking care of all other considerations on tire health may not help you if you are using a car tire that is not suited to your road or weather. There are certain appropriate seasons or weather conditions to use certain tires and if your use patterns fall out of these norms, you may land in a fix. All-season or summer tires perform poorly in cold conditions as they simply do not produce the traction necessary to be effective on snowy or wet roads. Check the suitability of the tire to the weather and road conditions and buy accordingly.