Tires are a vital component of car safety, and their importance is often overlooked. "Tires are the only four things touching the ground on your vehicle, and they impact everything – whether it's braking, turning, accelerating or wet driving," explains Duane Sampson, Brand Manager for Yokohama Tires.

Because they complete that essential link between your car's suspension and the road, tires are responsible for translating the driver's intentions directly towards vehicle performance. A quality set of tires will offer the responsiveness necessary for obstacle avoidance, short stopping distances that aid panic braking situations, and road-holding grip under both dry and wet conditions. "There's not a single component on a vehicle that contributes more to safety than tires," says Kurt Berger, Manager for Consumer Products Engineering at Bridgestone.

Your child has waited a long time for his or her driver's license and that time has finally arrived. Driving will change the way your child looks at the world and it will change your life forever. Safety is the most important consideration when it comes to new drivers, but there is more to it than merely knowing the laws. Here are some tips you can share with your child to help him or her become a true "roads scholar".

So your vehicle has become dirty enough to cause you just a little bit of shame. It happens. With a busy schedule and tight budget, cleaning a car is often the last thing on your mind. Luckily, the problem of a dirty car is completely fixable – and, even better, you can do something about it without breaking the bank.

Whether you’ve been driving for 5 days or 50 years, there’s always room for improvement. If you firmly believe you've got stellar skills behind the wheel, keep in mind that even the world's most talented auto racers are constantly training and sharpening their driving techniques. Pretty humbling, right?

Like the shoes on our feet, the tires and wheels on our cars protect us from direct contact with the ground. And like those shoes we wear day in and day out, tires and wheels can rub, wear unevenly, and eventually fail to do their jobs.