Hittin’ the road for a family vacation? Here are a few reminders from The Rubber Manufacturers Association that can keep you safer and save you some money.

Don’t Overload - Before you pack the trunk to the brim, check your owner’s manual for your vehicle’s recommended load limit. Weighing your car down with too much luggage and/or too many passengers will not only reduce your gas mileage, it can create excessive heat inside your tires. That can lead to tire failure and a serious accident.

Straighten It Out - Have your vehicle’s alignment checked before you head off on a long road trip, or if you’ve recently driven through a large pothole at a high speed. Have you noticed uneven tire tread wear on at least one tire, or that your vehicle is pulling to one side? Both are signs you may need an alignment.

Check the PSI - Before you check your tire pressure, make sure you know what the correct pressure is. Don’t look on the tire's sidewall for the answer. It’s in your owner’s manual or on the metal plaque that’s on the end of the driver’s door. For the most accurate reading, wait for your tires to cool before checking the pressure. That typically takes about three hours after driving.

Inspect Your Tires - Remove any foreign objects that may be lodged between the tread grooves. Check the sidewalls for cuts, gouges, bulges or other problems that could lead to a leak or blowout down the road. And look over the tread for “wear bars,” those narrow, built-in strips of smooth rubber that appear across the tire once the tread has worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch. When you see wear bars, the tire should be replaced as quickly as possible.