Almost any car in the market now has advanced safety features that all aim to do one thing: preventing accidents on the road. Technology has evolved and come a long way since the invention of the automobile, and safety features remain one of the top priorities from both the automakers and the drivers.

But despite that, many people tend to neglect the most basic automotive safety components: the tires.

According to a study, there are an alarming number of cars that are running around on the roads with tires that are botak, or in other words, don’t have enough tread depth to keep the car on the road in case of an emergency or weather hazard. Sometimes, people don’t even realize that their tires are in need of changing until it’s too late.

The tread is made up of the grooves in your tires that remove moisture from the tire’s surface. When the tread wears down too far the grooves can’t work as effectively in pushing that moisture out from under the tire. You really do not want moisture building up under your tire as it’s moving as this causes a car to lose its grip on a wet road.

There is no way to tell exactly how long a tire lasts. The lifespan and mileage of a tire depends on a combination of factors: its design, the driver’s habits, the climate, the road conditions and the care that's put into the tires.

It’s not surprising to know since sometimes the most basic maintenance is the most easily overlooked. However, there is a simple and more accurate way of checking your tire tread. It’s called a tread wear indicator bar. These little bars are on your tires, inside the tread grooves running perpendicular to the tread. When your tread wears down to the same surface as the bar, it’s time for new tires.

Here are a few more mini-tips for your tires.

1. Five years more

After five years or more in use, your tires should be thoroughly inspected by a professional.

2. Ten years max
If the tires haven't been replaced 10 years after their date of manufacture, as a precaution, it is recommended that you replace them with new tires, even if they appear to be in a usable condition and have not been worn down to the tread wear indicator. This applies to spare tires as well.

3. Proper care to expand a tire’s lifespan
If you take good care of your tires' air pressure, tread wear, alignment and so on, you can increase their longevity.

Remember; your tires are your first line of defense on the road. Good tires will help keep you, and everyone else on the road, safe. Have you checked your tires recently? Leave a comment below!