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Tire safety may not be the first thing you think of when you think about keeping your car running its best, but it is one of the most important. This summer, AAA estimates that over one million drivers will have roadside trouble due to problems with their tires. Most of this trouble can be avoided if you follow these tips for tire safety.

1. Monitor your tire pressure. You should check your tire pressure at least once a month and before and after you take any long trips in your car. Being sure that your tires are properly inflated is important. The maker of your car will have a tire pressure that they recommend for each of the four tires on your car, it is generally around 30 psi, you will want to check that out in your owners manual or on the inside of your cars door to make sure that you are inflating your tires the right amount. One mistake that some people make is inflating their tires to the maximum psi instead of the recommended. Double-check and make sure you are using the right number.

According to Goodyear, a tire that is underinflated doesnt roll as easily and the increased rolling resistance requires more energy, robbing the vehicle of fuel efficiency. Optimal inflation can improve fuel economy by 3.3 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Keep a gauge in your glove box, and visit your neighborhood gas station to get air if your pressure is too low.

2. Tire rotation. Tire manufacturers say that your tires should be rotated once every 6000 to 8000 miles. All tires wear a little bit differently, so its best to familiarize yourself with your tires to help know how often is best for you. In cars with front wheel drive, the tires tend to wear down a lot faster and in countries where people drive on the left side of the road, the right tires wear down fastest. When you rotate your tires regularly you help them wear out evenly and extend their life significantly. It usually only costs about $15 or $20 to have them rotated at any auto shop.

3. Check your tire tread. Car experts say that tires should have at least 2/32 inches of tread depth for them to be allowed on the road safely. Many experts in the auto industry and around the Web, at places like tiretrack.com, say that its best to have at least double that. Cars with deeper tread perform better and tend to stop faster in rainy or wet conditions thus increasing your safety.

To make sure your tires have a tread depth of at least 4/32 inch, stick a quarter, Washingtons head facing down, into one of the tire-tread grooves. If any part of Washingtons head is obscured, you have at least that amount of tread. Prefer to stick with the legal 2/32-inch tread depth? Perform the same check, but use a penny and, of course, Lincolns head.

4. Make sure your alignment is right. If your wheels are aligned wrong, your tires will wear out super fast. Whenever you go to an auto shop to have your oil changed ask the workers to add an alignment check to the maintenance they are performing. This way you can be sure youre not causing undue damage to your car. It costs around $100 to have your wheels realigned.

5. Your rear tire treads are more important. Every time you check the tread on your tires, make sure the tires at the read of your car have a deeper tread than the ones on the front. Even if you drive a front wheel drive car, where the front tires are in charge of braking and steering, it is important that the back tires have deeper tread to bear the weight of the back of the car in case of a slippery situation; back tires will save you from hydroplaning and fishtailing. If you have to have tires with lower tread, make sure theyre in the front. Better to have tires that understeer a little bit than to spin out of control on the road because of bad back tires. In wet conditions, its best to have new and safe tires.