Did you know that tire blowouts are more common during hot weather? So be careful this week with temperatures hitting over 100 degrees.
WSB-TV out of Atlanta says that AAA reports that calls to fix flat or damaged tires are up 15 percent this summer compared to spring, When temperatures are in the 90s, the surface of the roadway can heat up to nearly 150 degrees. Under-inflated tires flex more as a car moves, generating even more heat. The intense heat can cause a blowout.
To prevent this, keep tires maintained and properly inflated and watch how much weight you pack in your vehicle. Additional weight, such as hauling heavy loads in a truck bed, increases the potential for a tire issue.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation say there are an average of 11,000 tire-related crashes annually, killing nearly 200 people.