AKRON, Ohio — Goodyear is reminding truckers to check their tire inflation pressures regularly during the winter months, when air pressures tend to drop 1- to 2-lbs for every change of 10 degrees F.

As the thermometer drops, so too do tire pressures, the company warns.

If the last time the tire pressure was checked was during the heat of summer, with temperatures around 80 F, man people could be riding on severely underinflated tires without realizing it, explained Bob Toth, marketing manager for Goodyear.

Running underinflated tires generates excessive heat which reduces the life expectancy of a tire and can hurt fuel economy due to increased rolling resistance. Truckers should use a calibrated tire gauge to check their tires regularly. They should also expect a change in tire pressures when travelling long-distance through areas of vastly different temperatures.