The scary part? Dry rot doesn’t just happen to "abandoned" cars. It can happen to your daily driver if you aren’t careful. Once the structural integrity of a tire is compromised, the risk of a blowout increases dramatically.

– Underinflation flexes rubber excessively, speeding fatigue. Check monthly (including spare).

– Concrete draws out oils. For long-term storage, put tires on wood or plastic sheeting, ideally in a cool, dark space.

Tire dry rot, also known as "sidewall cracking," is a chemical degradation of rubber compounds that turns flexible, grippy tires into brittle, dangerous liabilities. While tires typically last between 6 to 10 years, environmental factors can cause them to fail much sooner.

Take a close look at your tires. Do you see fine lines running through the sidewall? Do they look like spiderwebs? That is the beginning of dry rot.