In some ways, your tires are the most important parts of your vehicle—they're where the rubber meets the road.

Some drivers only think to check their tire pressure during extreme temperature drops or oil changes, but here's some advice for good, regular tire maintenance, powered by our friends at O'Reilly Auto Parts.

1) Check your tire pressure on a regular basis. AAA suggests checking monthly, at a time when your car hasn't been driven recently; don't forget to check the spare, too! Keep a gauge in your glove compartment and find the recommended pressure on your car door jamb or in the owner's manual. If you notice your tires are primarily worn on either the center or outer edges, that could be a sign that they have either too much or too little air in them.

2) Check your tread depth monthly, too. Some drivers use a quarter or a penny, but a much more reliable tool is a tread depth gauge, such as these available at O'Reilly. Most new tires will have a tread depth of 10/32nds of an inch (approximately 1/3 of an inch), according to Tire Buyer. You'll want to consider replacing your tires when they reach 4/32nds.

3) Rotate your tires every 5,000 to 7,000 miles so they wear out at the same rate, according to Today.com. If you replace two tires instead of all four, you'll want to put the new tires on the rear.

4) Know when to have your alignment checked. If you're driving in a straight line, but your vehicle drifts or pulls to either side, the problem could be your tire alignment—or something else. Have a professional look at it.

5) Have a plan for a flat tire. One option is keeping handy a can of Fix-A-Flat, which can cover a leak for 100 miles or 3 days, whichever comes first. Here's video showing how to use it:

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