Slippery street conditions and highway salt that can speed a vehicle’s body deterioration aren’t the only dangers that vehicles and drivers face during winter months.

Problems can arise from low temperatures, and the weather can affect the only surface that connects a vehicle to a road — tires.

Changes in air temperature can affect the pressure in a tire. As air contracts in cold temperatures, the air pressure in a tire decreases. Low tire pressure can cause dangerous wear on one of the most important components of a vehicle.

“Tire inflation affects the way tires wear and the way a car handles,” said Lt. Jim Kayes of the DeKalb Police Department.

Shop manager Ryan Hutchison, of Lovell’s Discount Tire, located at 424 E. Lincoln Highway, said drivers should check tire inflation just about every time they get in the car.

“Tires are just as important as any other device in a vehicle,” he said.

Hutchison said it would be good to check each time a driver gets in a car, but that may not always be possible.

“To be safe, it would be sufficient to check the pressure once a week,” he said. “It really depends on driving habits and how far you drive.”

Hutchison said if someone drives 100 miles in a day, they should check the pressure every day.

Variations in pressure can cause unsafe driving conditions.

Under-inflated tires cause a vehicle to ride on the outside edges of a tire, and can cause the center of the tire to lose contact with the ground. This causes improper wear, which can shorten the life of a tire, cause decreased traction and reduce steering control and gas mileage. Tires also can be knocked off a rim easily when hit by a pothole or if other unusual pressure is placed on a tire, such as the pressure created by an emergency stop.

Over-inflated tires cause the vehicle to ride on the center of the tire, which reduces its contact with the pavement and can cause blowouts.

Recommended tire pressure for each vehicle is located in the owner’s manual, on a placard in the glove box or on the driver’s-side doorjamb. The maximum pressure also is labeled on the tires.

With large temperature changes, tire pressure should be checked often. The Secretary of State’s office said tires can lose one pound of pressure for each 10-degree drop in air temperature.