Checking tire tread depth key to keeping employees safe on slippery winter roads
Safe drivers are a boon to any business. But even the safest of drivers have no control when traction is lost. Traction is a critical part of the driving equation that relies heavily on both tire type and tread depth.
And winter is one time of year traction is the key to keeping drivers safe on the road.
Fleet service managers should check every vehicle’s tires at least once during the winter (and summer) to ensure the tread wear is within safety standards. That means tire tread depths should be at least 3/32″ – and even that is on the edge of being “worn out.”
Tire performance studies, like those done by Tire Rack, show that braking, cornering, and overall tire performance drastically changes for the worst in those last 32nds of an inch.
So as the year comes to an end, take a few minutes to run a check of the tires on your fleet’s pickups and SUVs:
A 32nd of an inch could could be the difference between a happy New Year and a turn for the worse.