While we accept that technology reigns king, it still makes its mark in sometimes surprising aspects of our lives. In the State of Georgia, our state drivers will be the first ever to experience a brand new technology, one that can measure both tire pressure and tread depth – without the need for any extra equipment on the vehicle.
How Georgia’s New Smart Highway Works
Launched by The Ray, an 18-mile long highway on West Georgia’s Interstate 85, this award-winning tire monitoring technology was developed by WheelRight, a U.K.-based company, which is setting out to improve the safety of all U.S. roads.
Specifically, the goal is to reduce the 35,000 fatal accidents that occur annually nationwide, in large part, due to tire failure.
This innovative technology measures tire pressure and tread depth, and does so with road-embedded sensor plates and imaging software. After the vehicle drives over the sensor plates, and the tread depth is measured, the results become available within seconds from a touch-sensitive kiosk, with the option to either print or send to mobile phones and laptops.
John Catling, the CEO and founder of WheelRight, recently stated: “We think this kind of cloud-based technology is going to revolutionize the way people look after their tires – reducing accidents, costs and carbon emissions.”
It is the company’s belief the new technology will fit well with all smart city applications.
Driving with Underinflated Tires Is Dangerous
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly one-third of passenger cars, light trucks and SUVs are driven with at least one under-inflated tired. The technology Wheelright hopes to implement nationwide is to make the data for measuring tire gauge more accessible thereby dramatically reducing the number of injury and fatalities.
Under-inflation is one of the leading causes of tire failure. When a vehicle’s tire pressure is too low, friction is caused between the tire’s surface area and the road. This friction makes the tires overheat, and in worst case scenarios, can lead to a blowout. And while checking air pressure in tires at least once a month is a guideline most people become aware of when they purchase their vehicles, many drivers don’t and many frequently wait until it’s too late.
The guidelines for checking your tire pressure depends on your car’s make and model. The following tips can help you determine the right amount of pressure for your tires:
- Never rely on the pressure that is listed on the tires, as this number is not the manufacturer’s recommended amount.
- Check your owner’s manual to find the appropriate amount of tire pressure for your vehicle.
- Make sure you use an accurate pressure gauge (i.e. dial type or digital gauge).
- Always check your tire pressure at least once a month, as well as before long road trips.
- When checking tire pressure, make sure to include all tires – even the spare.
According to the NHTSA, thousands of injuries could be prevented each year if drivers would inflate their tires to the correct pressure.
Contact an Attorney
If you’ve recently been in an accident, whether or not underinflated tires were to blame, you could benefit by having an attorney on your side. Contact Fried Goldberg today by calling 877-591-1801. Our firm has won national recognition with Joe Fried of Fried Goldberg being named Trucking Trial Lawyer of the Year for 2013-2014 by the American Association for Justice. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.