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Hypermiling and Tire Maintenance

Connecting consumer-savvy thinking with a competitive mentality, hypermiling has emerged as the sport of penny-pinchers and pragmatists alike. Recognized as the general umbrella for fuel efficient drivers, hypermilers attempt to raise their vehicles' gas mileage to unexpected levels. While, for many, these behaviors and tactics can simply be an extension of careful maintenance plans, others take hypermiling schemes to dangerous degrees. In particular, some hypermilers may abuse their tires in order to make the most of their fuel economies.

When it comes to tire maintenance, there are several regular procedures that can keep drivers and passengers safe while promoting higher miles-per-gallon. Car owners can regularly get their tires rotated, keeping friction from building up on unevenly worn tires. This friction causes the vehicle to work harder, costing more fuel in the process. Proper tire pressure can have a similar effect on gas mileage, and is an important step in maintaining vehicle safety.

One hypermiling technique in particular that some may forget with the change of the seasons is to replace snow tires with regular tires. Snow tires have increased tread to maximize traction. However, this also adds weight to the tires, meaning that the engine needs to use more energy to maintain speeds. This is an easy way to keep miles-per-gallon steady.

Tires are often abused by hypermilers, which can lead to blowouts and related car accidents. By overinflating tires, some believe that they can substantially increase their fuel efficiency without any serious problems. However, running at highway speeds, any unevenness or road defects may cause a tire to pop, easily leading to a loss of control and expensive repairs.

There are legal options for those injured by hypermilers. Those who intentionally overinflate their tires know the difference between proper maintenance and abusive gas mileage behaviors. To learn more about what can be done in these situations, contact a car accident attorney.

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If you have been injured in an accident caused by another driver's negligence, contact the Madison car accident attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C.

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