With summer here many of us will be taking vacation during the next several weeks. According to AAA, July and August are the heaviest months for travel via automobile. Although gas prices have affected many of our plans, some will still be taking their automobiles to various destinations this summer on vacation.

One of the most important things you can do prior to leaving on your trip is to check your tires. Tires are one of the most important -- and oft-overlooked -- components of our cars. Automakers can spend all the time and money they want on engineering a car for handling are comfort, but in the end, the tires are the only thing that attach our car to the road. A problem with a tire affects ride comfort, handling and safety.

Tire Inflation

Buy a digital tire gauge and check your tires before a long trip. Proper inflation pressures can be found on a sticker on the car (usually on the driver's doorjamb or fuel-filler lid.) Check tire pressure only after the car has been sitting for several hours in order to ensure that the tires are cold.

Check Your Spare Too

Getting a flat tire and discovering that your spare is flat too is a miserable experience. Inspect your spare as you would your other tires. If you have a compact spare, the inflation pressure will usually be written on the tire.

Check for Wear

Check tread depth by placing the edge of a penny upside-down into the grooves of the tire's tread. If you can see all of Lincoln's head, it's time for a new set of tires. Inspect the sides of the tires for nicks, bulges, cracks and cuts. There is nothing worse than a blow-out while you’re traveling on the interstate.

Inspecting your tires before your trip will often save you a headache during your trip.