(Business Wire)  Spring break season has arrived, and while many flock to tropical locales with warm sunny beaches, others are destined to spend the time closer to home. For these spring breakers, Cooper Tire has teamed up with Roadtrippers, one of the fastest-growing Internet travel start-ups in the nation, to pinpoint great adventures that are just 100 minutes from home.

Cooper and Roadtrippers have developed a custom road trip guide, available on the Roadtrippers website at https://roadtrippers.com/guides/cooper100 and on iPhone and Android mobile apps. The guide encourages short-trippers to explore the roadside attractions, small-town wonders and hidden gems that await just 100 minutes away or less. The guide covers a variety of short-trip ideas in 20 major U.S. metropolitan markets for experiencing scenic, charming, and iconic attractions that often go unexplored, but have much to offer.

In addition to the Roadtrippers alliance, Cooper is teaming with influential family travel and parenting bloggers including Colorado Moms, MomSmack and Daily Mom to bring the short-trip concept to life. These bloggers have taken Cooper tires on several exploratory ‘100 Minutes From Home’ adventures through Denver, San Diego, New York City, Miami, Phoenix and Philadelphia. The bloggers share their travel experiences, creating video highlights of each trip whether it’s antiquing along the west coast or uncovering hideaway camping sites just outside of Miami.

“The first leg of the trip went great,” said Michelle Thomas, Daily Mom’s contributing editor for the Phoenix area, during a ‘100 Minutes From Home’ family road trip. “The Cooper Discoverer [A/T3] tires hugged the road for a really smooth ride. After driving around on our new Cooper Discoverer tires we are most impressed. They really gripped the road, much better than our older ones, not only in normal driving conditions, but also on the freeway at higher speeds, through a Monsoon storm, and additionally on some unpaved roads we encountered in a recent trip to the White Mountains. I feel so much more secure knowing we have these high-quality tires on our car, and truly believe their motto is true: all traction…all terrain…all the time!”

Before any road trip--near or far--Cooper recommends a simple tire maintenance routine to ensure your tires are ready to hit the road after the change in seasons. Below are some tire maintenance and safe driving tips to help drivers prepare for shifting temperatures and rainy conditions during springtime travels.

Checking tread and monitoring tire pressure before road trips takes less than ten minutes with these do-it-yourself tips from Cooper Tire:

• As a general rule, the deeper the tread depth, the better. Tire tread depth should be more than 2/32 of an inch deep all around the tire. Drivers can check tread depth by inserting the edge of a U.S. penny in between the tread, with Lincoln going in headfirst. If the top of Lincoln's head is covered by tread, there is at least a minimum acceptable amount of tread. If the top of his head is visible at any location on the tire, it is time to replace the tire.
• While examining the tread, also look for signs of uneven wear or damage, including cuts, cracks, splits, punctures and bulges. These conditions shorten the life of tires and could cause further tire damage if left unnoticed.
• Drivers should follow the guidelines found in the vehicle owner’s manual or tire placard (or sticker) attached to the vehicle door edge to determine the correct air pressure for their vehicle's tires. It is a common misconception that the tire pressure listed on the sidewall is the optimal pressure – in reality, it is the maximum pressure.
• Air pressure should be checked when the tires are completely cool.
• If any of these checks signal a need for tire maintenance, or if drivers are doubtful about the condition of tires, vehicles should be brought to a tire dealer for a professional inspection.

Warmer spring weather puts stress on all vehicle components, including tire pressure. Follow these tips to monitor vehicle changes in heat:

• Warmer spring weather can affect the rate at which the tire loses air. Tires can lose more than two pounds of air pressure per month in the summer heat, so check tire pressure regularly as under inflation is the leading cause of tire failure.
• Make sure engine oil, transmission fluid, power-steering fluid and brake fluid are all at recommended levels.
• Examine the vehicle’s cooling system to avoid overheating.
  • When the engine is still cool, check the level of coolant in the radiator by looking for the plastic overflow tank under the hood. Add fluid before driving if levels are low.
  • Check for any loose connections that may need tightening and radiator hoses that feel “spongy,” as they will need replacing.

When packing up for a road trip, consider these vehicle loading and overloading tips:

• Before packing the trunk and the roof, check out the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations for loading the vehicle, which can be found on the vehicle information placard located on the vehicle door edge or in the vehicle owners’ manual. Be aware that passengers count towards the total recommended vehicle weight.
• Overloading the vehicle creates excessive heat inside tires, which increases tread wear and stress.
• Tires and wheels that are off-balance or misaligned can cause uneven wear and other problems, especially on long road trips in a fully packed vehicle. Have a mechanic inspect vehicle alignment to avoid these issues.

With sunny skies and warmer temperatures also come thunderstorms and slippery roads. Use caution any time roads are wet, as both deep and shallow layers of water can cause hydroplaning. These safe-driving tips can help avoid hydroplaning on wet roads:

• Inspect tire tread regularly to avoid losing traction on wet roads due to worn tires.
• Ensure tires are properly inflated to help increase control on wet roads.
• Check the alignment and balance of tires, ensuring vehicles are properly equipped should a skid occur.
• Drive at a slower, safe speed, as wet traction is considerably reduced at higher speeds.
• Stay out of wheel ruts created by cars ahead, as rainwater collects in them and heightens the possibility of hydroplaning.
• Do not brake or turn when recovering from hydroplaning.

For more information on proper tire safety and maintenance, visit www.coopertire.com.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) is the parent company of a global family of companies that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car and light truck tires. Cooper and its subsidiaries also sell medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper's headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 11 countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.