George Jebaily | Car Maintenance Safety |
car tire

Do you check your car’s tires and treads frequently? This critical vehicle maintenance step is so important that it may even save your life.

Tires should be checked monthly for signs of tread wear and to confirm that they are properly inflated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A recent NHTSA survey reported that tire issues such as blowouts, bald tires, under-inflation and tread separation were present before 9% of all U.S. car crashes.

Driving on Under-Inflated Tires Can Be Hazardous

Driving on under-inflated tires can negatively affect your car’s performance – for example, causing longer stopping distances and sluggish handling. Under-inflated tires can also result in poor fuel economy as well as reduce the lifetime of the tire.

Many vehicles are equipped with real-time tire pressure monitoring systems, also known as TPMS. TPMS works along with your car’s antilock braking system’s wheel speed sensors. An under-inflated tire will roll at a different wheel speed than the other tires and this difference will be picked up by the car’s computer system. A dashboard indicator will light up, telling you that you have a problem with tire pressure.

However, a TPMS system won’t be activated until the tire’s inflation is down to 25% which is an already serious situation. It’s best to check your car’s tire pressure every month, either professionally or with your own tire pressure gauge.

Stay on Top of Tire Tread

Did you know that tires age even if the car isn’t being driven? And hot roads in warm weather, such as those that we all experience in South Carolina, will accelerate the aging process.

Be watchful with tire wear and follow these tips:

  • Check all 4 tires monthly for tread wear. Just eye-balling it isn’t enough! Use a Lincoln penny and place it head-down in the tread. If the top of Lincoln’s head is visible, then the tread depth is less than the recommended minimum of 2/32″. It’s time to replace your tires!
  • Always check your car’s owner manual for replacement specifications.
  • Keep tires inflated to the correct pounds per square inch (psi). You can find this in the owner manual or on a sticker placed on the driver’s door edge.

We all spend a lot of time in our cars — let’s be safe!

George Jebaily
George D. Jebaily, Esq.

Attorney George D. Jebaily is the Managing Partner of Jebaily Law Firm, where he serves as the lead attorney for the Personal Injury Team. With over 40 years of legal experience, George’s law practice concentrates on a full scope of personal injury claims, including those related to motor vehicle crashes, premises liability, workplace accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, and more.

 

George has deep ties to the Florence community, where he has lived since he was a child. He has served as an at-large member of the Florence City Council since 2014 and received recognition from the American Association for Justice for his efforts to redevelop Downtown Florence. George has also been deeply involved with raising awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. 

 

In 1982, George earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in 1978. He is licensed to practice law in South Carolina, the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the South Carolina Bar, the Florence County Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, and the South Carolina Association for Justice.

 

Admitted to South Carolina Bar: 1983

Years of Legal Experience: 43

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