FINDLAY, OHIO — As fall ushers in cooler temperatures and people travel to watch the leaves change color, COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (NYSE: CTB) also recommends drivers use the season to prepare their vehicles for impending winter weather.

“Events like changing your clock back to standard time are a great cue to remember that it’s also time to check your tires,” said Chuck Yurkovich, vice president of global technology for Cooper Tire. “All drivers should engage in routine tire maintenance at least once a month, but it’s especially important to do this prior to significant seasonal changes that weather-wise will have an impact on road conditions and driving in general.”

Many drivers are choosing to leave all-season tires on vehicles for winter driving. Today ongoing maintenance becomes even more critical as industry reports indicate that 11 percent — or about 28 million vehicles — have at least one bald tire, and 55 percent of vehicles have at least one underinflated tire.1

Cooper Tire advises drivers to conduct the following do-it-yourself maintenance checks:

Examine tread: tires are the only part of a vehicle to touch the road, making tire tread a key factor in handling, cornering, accelerating and braking.

- Tread depth should be more than 2/32 of an inch deep all around the tire. Drivers can check this by using a U.S. penny. Insert the edge of the coin into the tread with Lincoln going in headfirst. If the top of Lincoln’s head is covered by tread that means there is an acceptable amount of tread, if the top of his head is visible at any location on the tire, the tire is worn out and it’s time to replace it.

Source: http://www.coopertire.com/html/company/news_newsreleases.aspx