June is National Tire Safety Awareness Month. In honor of that, here’s a little “Tire Safety 101” to make sure you’re driving safely this summer and beyond.

First, let’s talk Tire inflation! How often are you checking yours? Too little or too much air can cause all kinds of problems, including:

· Poor Fuel Economy

· Extended stopping distances

· Reduced load carrying capacity

· Poor handling and traction

· Overheating

· Sudden tire failure

You should really be checking the air pressure in your tires at least once a month using a proper tire gauge. Tires, even new ones, will lose at least 1 pound per square inch (psi) every month, so it’s important to keep an eye on it. The correct psi for your vehicle’s tires will be in the owner’s manual or on the car’s tire placard, which is usually right on the driver door jamb.

Once you’ve got the tire pressure taken care of, it’s time to inspect your tires for any damage or suspicious changes. Accidentally running over a pothole, hitting a curb or an unseen nail or screw in the road can have a disastrous result. A seemingly innocent bulge in the sidewall can indicate that the inside of your tire may be broken.

This is an unsafe condition and you should see a professional, like the experts at Jiffy Lube, to have the tire inspected, repaired or replaced if necessary.

If you’ve ever had a tire that just keeps on deflating, you may have run over a nail or a screw. Sometimes a nail or screw in the road can puncture your tire, causing a slow leak. Many times it can be repaired but some cannot. No worries though because a tire professional, like those at Jiffy Lube, can actually remove the tire from the wheel to inspect and repair it properly if needed.

Speaking of inspecting, proper tread depth is another important part of tire safety. The tread allows your tires to evacuate water from the road surface to provide traction, grip, confident handling and stopping power on wet roads. To check the tread depth yourself, you can use a penny! Place a penny with the top of Lincoln’s head facing down in the grooves. If you can see the top of Lincoln's head, it's most likely time to get a new set of tires.

And just remember, your Tires are the only parts of your vehicle that actually touch the road, so all of these things are important. That’s why Jiffy Lube® offers a full range of tire services, including:

· Tire Rotation

· Re-balancing

· Checking Pressure

· Installation

· Inspections

Just head to jiffylube.com to find a location near you and see which services are offered! And turn what could have been a major headache, into a minor inconvenience.

WATCH BELOW: