STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Tire failure caused more than 1,700 crashes in New York last year, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), which urged drivers to check their air pressure often.
AAA testing of vehicle tire pressure monitoring systems found them to be generally accurate, but by the time the light comes on, you’ve already been driving on low pressure, the association found. Since proper tire inflation is critical to safety, the non-profit agency urged drivers to test the pressure themselves.
Underinflated tires can overheat and blow out, causing an extremely dangerous driving situation, a AAA spokesman said. It can also create extra rolling resistance, which lowers fuel economy, according to AAA.
In 2022, “tire failure/inadequate” was listed as a contributing factor in 375 injury crashes and three fatal crashes, the study found.
For the study, AAA tested “direct” tire pressure monitoring systems in 11 passenger vehicles model years 2022-2024, including sedans, pickup trucks and SUVs. Direct systems have a battery-powered monitor and radio transmitter mounted inside the tire that sends pressure information to a dashboard readout.
Some vehicles show a numerical pressure for their four tires, and these worked well. The AAA study found that the average difference between actual and displayed pressure was between 1.2% and 1.5%, the announcement said.
The amber warning light illuminated when tires were underinflated to 75% of recommended pressure for five of the 11 test vehicles, the study found. Five more only lit when tire pressure fell to 70.3% to 72.9% of recommended pressure, and one never illuminated, despite a readout showing pressure at 65%, the research showed.
“AAA research showed that tire pressure monitoring systems mostly worked as intended,” said Robert Sinclair, Jr. of AAA Northeast. “But drivers should use a manual tire pressure gauge once a month to ensure proper inflation because a tire has to be 20% deflated before a…
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