When it comes to the fuel economy of your vehicle, a lot of factors can change it—for better and for worse. However, the pressure of your tires—otherwise known as pounds per square inch, or psi—is one of the most influential factors of all. This is how tire pressure affects fuel economy and what you can do to improve your overall fuel usage per trip.

Low Tire Pressure

During a standard month, car tires can actually drop one to two psi with regular outings. Should you allow the pressure to drop low enough, the tread begins to cave in and put the most wear on the outer edges of the tire. This greatly inhibits the tire’s ability to roll and makes it so that the car needs to put extra energy into moving. With the requirement of this additional force, the vehicle naturally begins to burn through more fuel in less time.

High Tire Pressure

Even having high tire pressure affects the fuel economy of a vehicle because it also changes the tire’s ability to roll. In actuality, increasing your tire’s overall pressure does tend to slightly improve the cars mileage because the protruded tread makes the material easier to move. However, this often comes at the cost of stability and traction, making the driving experience more dangerous as a whole. For this reason, it’s recommended that you find other ways to improve your mileage and refrain from overinflating your tires.

Maintaining the Proper PSI

Keeping a steady psi among all your tires is the best way to ensure you’re getting the optimal balance of miles per gallon and traction. This can not only help you save money in the long run but also maintain your safety behind the wheel. Several factors, such as weather conditions, tread wear, and time, can influence psi, so it’s crucial that you get into the habit of regularly checking your tires’ pressure and either inflating or deflating them accordingly. At RNR Tire Express, we want to ensure everyone has the necessary resources to care for their tires. This is why our experienced staff is available to diagnose any problems and get you on the right track to success. Our tire stores in Augusta, GA, also carry a wide variety of quality tires to make sure you can find the right replacement models for your vehicle.