Make sure your spare has the right amount of air when emergencies arise.

In case of emergency, check the air in the spare

Everyone understands the basics of car care -- from changing your oil to rotating your tires. However, when was the last time you checked the air pressure in your spare tire?

According to a recent study, more than 70 percent of drivers do not check the tire pressure in their spare tire. Of 74 spare tires tested, only one tire was properly inflated and the average tire pressure was less than 50 percent of that recommended for the spare.

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Typically the spare is the tire you depend on in a pinch, but if you never check the air pressure it may not perform at the crucial moment when you need it most.

Tires normally lose one psi each month due to air permeation through the sidewall. It helps to think of a tire as a balloon -- after time the air in a balloon will drop due to air leaking through the balloon's surface. Air will dissipate through the tire's sidewall in the same way.

It is also important to note that with the change in seasons there is often a change in temperature -- for every 10-degree drop in ambient temperature a tire will lose one psi. And it's the air that carries the load, so less air pressure means less load carrying capacity.

How do you check your tire pressure? According to the tire experts at Goodyear Tire Company, typically you can find the correct inflation pressure for your vehicle's original tires on a sticker inside the driver's side-door jamb, in the glove compartment or in the vehicle owner's manual. Be certain to check the tire pressure with a good tire gauge when the tire is cold.

Don't take your spare for granted. Check tire inflation of your spare -- as well as all your tires -- often for security, fuel economy and peace of mind.