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CASTAIC, Calif. () — Extreme heat is raising concerns about tire blowouts across Southern California freeways. Drivers are being urged to check their tires for low tread or cracking before hitting the hot pavement.
One way to check tire tread at home yourself is to grab a penny and flip it so that Abraham Lincoln’s head is facing down, then stick the penny in the most shallow part of your tire tread. If Lincoln’s head is covered by the tire then your tires are good. If the tread comes up to just about the hairline on Lincoln, consider changing your tires as soon as you can.
It’s recommended that you check your tread on cold tires, before you start driving, to get the most accurate reading.
On hot days, it’s not just the temperatures that we’re worried about, It’s also the temperature of the pavement. For every 10-degree increase in temperature, your tire pressure can rise by about one pound per square inch and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, under inflated tires is the leading cause of tire failure.
“Warm pavement that our tires drive on and the increased pressure from the heat, all of those different circumstances definitely make driving potentially a little bit more dangerous, especially if we don’t maintain our tires and vehicles,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Jordon Church.
CHP says that if a tire blowout were to happen to you, the most important thing is not to panic. They say do not hit the brakes just simply coast over to the side of the road when it’s safe and call 911.
A long-lasting October heat wave will continue to bring dangerous temperatures to Los Angeles and Orange counties through at least Thursday, after downtown Los Angeles reached 102 degrees Monday for its fourth consecutive day of triple-digit heat.
The four-day streak of 100-degree temperatures is the longest in October for downtown Los Angeles and ties the record for the longest such stretch at any time of year, according to the National Weather Service.
A record high of 101 degrees was set Sunday at Hollywood Burbank Airport, breaking the previous record of 100 degrees set in 1964, the NWS said.
Extreme heat warnings remain in effect through 8 p.m. Thursday for coastal and valley areas of Los Angeles County and coastal and inland Orange County.
Highs are expected to remain widespread in the 90s to around 105 degrees through Thursday in Los Angeles County valleys and many coastal areas, or about 15 to 27 degrees above normal for this time of year.
City News Service contributed to this report
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