The pressure's on to check your tires.

• Position: YOUR LIFE - Brief article

Pounds per square inch, wheel alignment, and tire tread are not things that drivers typically think about on a daily basis, yet failure to check and maintain your tires can result in what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates to be 11,000 tire-related crashes each year.

"Tire inspections need to become a part of everyone's regular vehicle maintenance routines. We encourage drivers to make sure that their tires meet safe driving standards," says Rhonda Craft, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety. "Inspecting your tires--especially before long summer drives or vacations--takes very little time and can save not only your life but the lives of your passengers and other drivers."

According to NHTSA, 19% of consumers properly check and inflate their tires, and one in four cars has at least one tire that is significantly underinflated. Having properly inflated tires ensures better fuel economy, improves vehicle handling, increases the life of tires, and protects cars from breakdowns and crashes. Moreover, fuel efficiency...