When tires get very worn or damaged, it's important to replace them right away. Otherwise, you could be putting yourself and others on the road at risk.

And, while all types of damaged tires are bad, bald tires are particularly bad. Bald tires are tires where the tread has worn down significantly, sometimes to the point that it's non-existent. While it may be tempting to continue driving on bald tires, especially if you're trying to save money, don't do it. Doing so can pose some serious risks and dangers to you, anyone you drive with, and other drivers as well.

Reduced Traction

A major danger of bald tires is that they have reduced traction, which makes them more likely to slip and slide on the road.

This can be particularly dangerous in wet or snowy conditions. However, if the tires are very bald and the traction is greatly reduced, you could even have trouble on dry roads as well.

To avoid traction issues and the potential of sliding off the road or right into another car, replace bald tires right away or, even better yet, don't let things get that bad in the first place.

Decreased Fuel Efficiency

You might not think that the state of your tires has anything to do with your fuel efficiency, but that's actually not true.

Bald tires tend to have poor tire pressure, which can decrease fuel efficiency by causing your entire vehicle to have to work harder to do its job on the road.

And, while you might think you can fight this issue by regularly re-inflating your tires, it's a losing battle if you have bald tires. They won't hold inflation like they should, which keeps leading to bad tire pressure and bad fuel efficiency until you replace your tires.

Slowed Braking

It's very hard to come to a smooth, even stop when your tires are bald. It's especially hard if you're driving at high speeds or need to come to a quick stop.

Bald tires make it hard for your vehicle to really grip the road the way it needs to, which often leads to skidding to a stop instead of a clean, even stop. In some cases, this can prove disastrous.

As you can see, bald tires can pose a serious issue. To avoid them, have your tires regularly checked by a professional and replaced as needed by a tire shop. And, if you already have bald tires, don't continue driving on them. Get them repaired first so that you don't put yourself and others in harm's way.