Is the Penny Test For Your Tires Outdated?

The penny test works wonders. Have you ever wondered if your tires are too worn and if you should get a new tire? Did you know there is a simple test that you can do at home to see if your need new tires? It is simple to do, let’s talk about how this test is done.

The old way to test your tires was by using a penny. Flip the penny over with Lincoln’s head down toward the tread. Next, you put the penny down between the grooves in your tire, if any of Lincoln’s head is missing your tire tread is less than 1/16’s of an inch and you should replace your tire. Lincolns head should be visible for your tires to be ok to drive on. This test is outdated now.

The new test suggests you use a quarter to test your tires, only because they say you should replace your tires at 2/16’s of an inch. It is exactly 2/16’s of an inch from the top of Washington’s head to the edge of the quarter. The new test is done the exact same way as the penny test. Flip the quarter down with Washington’s head downward and place the quarter between the tread. If any of Washington’s head is missing you should replace the tire because it is unsafe to drive on.

Why should you perform this test on your tires? You should perform this because it is dangerous to drive on worn tires. When your tires get worn down they lose performance and traction. Losing traction means you could hydroplane and cause harm to yourself or someone else. Check your tires and be safe on the road.

Contact an agent now to make sure you’re covered on the road! We serve Southwest, Florida, and surrounding areas.