Tires don’t last forever, and the two main reasons for replacement are wear and damage. There are several ways to inspect your tires. You can visually check their general condition and look for abnormal and uneven wear patterns. You can also perform the “penny test” or check if the “wear bars” are visible, to see if there’s sufficient tread remaining to safely operate the vehicle under all driving conditions.
Tires may last 20,000 to 80,000 miles, depending upon quality and composition. Still, we recommend replacing your tires when the wear bars are visible or there is less than 1/16 inch of tread remaining. The "penny test" works because the distance between the rim and Lincoln's head is 1/16 of an inch, the minimum required tread depth. When your tire tread is less than 1/16 inch, your vehicle can develop handling problems.
Installing new tires will not only increase your car's fuel efficiency, but also improve your car's handling, braking ability and ride quality. From a safety standpoint, the issue should be pretty obvious. A driver's ability to control the vehicle depends upon traction between tires and the road. Poor traction could lead to an accident. From an environmental point of view, better gas mileage is always good for the environment.