When you drive your car, the tires take a lot of abuse, such as driving over pebbles on the road or scrapping up against a curb when you make a sharp turn. Luckily, the tread is able to withstand a lot, especially when you make sure that the tires' air pressure is maintained.

However, if the air pressure in the tires is not at the recommended level, the tread on the tires will let you know. There are a couple of things that the condition of your car tires' tread can tell you about the air pressure.

1.  Worn Strip down the Middle of the Tread Indicates Over Inflation of the Tire

When examining the tread to determine whether the air pressure is within the recommended parameters, look first at the center of the flat tire surface. If you notice that the middle of the tread has worn down more than the rest, this indicates that the tires are overinflated.

Because there is too much air pressure, the sides of the tires will pull up and not make as much contact with the pavement as the center. The friction of the road and the full weight of the tires and your vehicle will make the tread in the middle wear down faster.

Continuous driving on over-inflated tires can lead to a blowout, so if you do notice excess wear in the middle, you may need to replace the tires sooner rather than later.

2.  Wear on Both Edges of Each Tire Means It Is Underinflated

After examining the center of the tread, turn your attention to the edges. While wear on one edge usually indicates a problem with the wheel's alignment, its presence on both sides of each tire means that there is not enough air pressure.

If the tires are underinflated, these edges will come into too much contact with the pavement. The wear could also extend to the edges of the thinner sidewalls of the tires, which would require replacing them.

When the air pressure in your car's tires is either too high or too low, the wear that occurs on the tread will shorten the lifespan of the tires. Each type and brand of tire have their own recommended pressure requirements to ensure that you get the most time out of your vehicle's tires. If the tread on the tires is worn, visit a car tire service to ask them not only for their recommendations for purchasing new tires but also have them instruct you on maintaining proper air pressure in them.