Check your tires before heading out

PHOENIX - As many people prepare to leave town for the holiday weekend, it is important to remember to check your vehicle's tires before hitting the road.

The number of people driving on bald tires is on the rise, but it is easy to check to see if your tires are good to go.

"Simply take a penny and insert that penny head first into a tire tread groove, and if you can see all of Lincoln's head it means it's time to get a tire," said Kim Weber with the National Rubber Manufacturer's Association.

Weber said the average number of bald tires on the road in Arizona is lower than the national average.

"Nationally 11 percent of those vehicles surveyed had at least one bald tire," she said. "In Phoenix we found that 5.2 percent of vehicles surveyed had at least one bald tire."

The condition of a vehicles tires can affect gas mileage as well as safety, especially in wet weather.

"You need to have at least 1/16 of an inch of tread on those tires," Weber said, "The more tread you have the less time you will need to stop."