Can You Drive on the Highway with Insufficient Tire Pressure?
2 Answers
You can drive on the highway with insufficient tire pressure, but the hazards of low tire pressure include: 1. Increased friction coefficient with the road surface; 2. Steering wheel becomes heavy and prone to drifting; 3. Increased movement of various parts of the tire, leading to abnormal heating due to excessive rolling; 4. Reduced functionality of the cord and rubber, causing delamination or cord breakage; 5. Excessive friction with the wheel hub, resulting in damage to the bead area; 6. High-speed driving may lead to tire blowouts. The reasons for insufficient tire pressure are: 1. Leakage from the tire or valve stem; 2. Wheel hub deformation reducing the tire's sealing performance; 3. Long-term overloading of the vehicle causing uneven tire stress; 4. Thermal expansion and contraction leading to low tire pressure.
A few days ago, a driver friend asked me about this, and I felt it was important to remind everyone. Insufficient tire pressure on highways poses extremely high risks, especially when speeds exceed 80 km/h. The tires deform significantly, generating rapid friction heat, causing tire temperature to rise quickly and increasing the likelihood of a blowout. Once an accident occurs, losing control of the vehicle can be disastrous. Handling becomes much worse, with vague steering and longer braking distances, making emergency responses slower. You might not notice it while driving in the city, but on highways, major problems become apparent. I recommend using a simple tire pressure gauge to check before every long trip, referring to the recommended values on the door label—generally, passenger cars should have cold tire pressure between 2.2-2.5 bar. Don’t gamble with safety; ensuring proper inflation before hitting the road is the wisest choice.
