Whether under-inflated or over-inflated, incorrect tyre pressures can have a big impact on your driving experience. This can affect handling, increase your risk of accidents and drastically reduce the lifespan of your tyres. So it is crucial to check your tyre pressures regularly. Another good reason is fuel efficiency. When tyres are under-inflated, their rolling resistance increases. This means your engine has to work harder to make them turn, burning extra fuel in the process. Things like cornering, grip, accelerating and braking are all negatively affected when tyres are not inflated to the correct pressure. In extreme cases, under-inflated tyres can even lead to a blowout.
There is also the aspect of handling to keep in mind. With too little air in your tyres, your car will feel sluggish and unresponsive, stopping distances will increase and your vehicle will perform poorly in wet or icy conditions. With over-inflated tyres, you will feel every bump and dip in the road, experience loss of traction and be more prone to spinning out and losing control. Also, when a tyre is under-inflated, pressure is distributed towards the outer edges of the tread, leading to premature wear on the shoulders. Overinflated tyres will also wear unevenly, in this case along the centre of the tread. In both instances, the life of the tyre will be greatly reduced.