Vehicle accidents can be caused by a series of different factors—such as the environment, other drivers, or even your own mental awareness. But we very rarely think about what effect the state of our tires can have on these occurrences. In fact, we may not even recognize it as a potential problem until it’s too late. These are some of the ways your tires can cause accidents and why you should get them replaced immediately when they’re damaged.

Loss of Traction

When tires start to deteriorate, one of the first things to go is the amount of traction they can maintain. As the force that helps you keep a solid level of control over the car, this is problematic in several ways. Without traction, driving hazards will affect your driving to an extremely dangerous degree. So, with slick environmental conditions or situations where you must react fast, you’re more likely to get into an accident.

Sudden Flat Tire or Tire Blowout

Defective tires are also at an increased risk of going flat or blowing out while you’re driving. These events occur when a tire has received extensive damage and its rubber casing has been weakened, causing air to either build up or escape through leaks. In both of these cases, you can temporarily lose control of your car and skid into someone else.

Reduced Braking Effectiveness

Another way your tires can cause accidents is through their ability to hinder your braking capabilities. While traction primarily allows you to propel the car forward and assist with steering, it also plays a major role during braking. A certain amount of traction with the road is essential to stop in an effective manner. Without it, you’re more likely to keep moving even after you hit the brake pedal. This can easily send you into a rear-end collision. If you feel like your current car tires are nearing the end of their lifespan, you shouldn’t wait for something to go wrong. Stop by RNR Tire Express to purchase quality, and inexpensive, replacements. Our supply of tires in Gastonia, NC contains products from a multitude of well-known manufacturers in the automotive industry. As such, you won’t need to search too hard to find a perfect match for your vehicle. Give us a call to learn more or to browse our inventory.