Excessive heat can cause tire blowouts

PHOENIX — Extreme heat and bad tires could mean disaster on Valley freeways during an excessive heat warning, according to a Valley auto expert.

When temperatures are in the low 100s, freeways in the Valley can reach twice that, said Matt Allen with News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Bumper to Bumper Radio.

“If you took a thermometer and went out and checked the temperature of the asphalt, it’s probably well over 200 degrees,” he said.

Allen said the heat can easily cause a blowout if a car has worn tires.

There are easy ways to check if car tires are ready for the heat using only a quarter, Allen said.

“You stick the quarter, head down, into the deepest part of the tread depth of the tire and measure,” he said. “If you can see the top of Washington’s head there, your tires are worn out.”