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Monday, 21 April, 2008 11:26 AM
Survey Shows Few
Motorists are "Tire Smart"
National
Tire Safety Week Educates U.S. Drivers on Safety and Cost Benefits
of Proper Tire Care
Photo
credit: Rubber Manufacturers Association
Checking
the tire pressure.
WASHINGTON —
Under inflated tires increase driving risks, waste fuel and
cause tires to wear out faster but few U.S. motorists pay adequate
attention to their tires. A national survey by the tire industry
showed 85 percent of American drivers do not properly check tire
inflation pressure.
The Rubber Manufacturers
Association (RMA), which commissioned the survey, is sponsoring
the seventh annual National Tire Safety Week April 20-26 to help
raise awareness about the importance of tire care. With gas prices
at record levels again this year, motorists can save time and money
by taking five minutes every month to check tires.
"Record high gas
prices should be an incentive for motorists to take every step possible
to help make their cars and their money go further," said Dan
Zielinski, RMA senior vice president, public affairs. "While
our survey found that 61 percent of motorists agreed that checking
tire pressure is very important to maximizing fuel economy, only
one in seven drivers properly perform this easy task."
Checking tires is not
only a fuel saving tip, it can also be life saving. According to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), under
inflated tires contribute to 660 fatalities and 33,000 injuries
each year. NHTSA estimates that about one in four cars, and one
in three light trucks, have at least one significantly under inflated
tire.
Under inflated tires
also cause premature tire wear that can force consumers to replace
tires sooner. "Consumers can help their wallets and the environment
by paying attention to their tires so they last as long as possible,
reducing disposal needs," Zielinski added.
Additional statistics
RMA's survey show:
- Forty-six percent
of drivers wrongly believe the correct inflation pressure is printed
on the tire sidewall
- Twenty-six percent
of drivers wrongly believe the best time to check tires is when
they are warm
- Only one out of every
three drivers knows how to tell if tires are bald
RMA recommends that tire
pressure be checked at least once every month with a tire gauge.
The recommended tire pressure for every vehicle is set by vehicle
manufacturers and can be found on a label usually placed on the
driver's door or check the owner's manual. Also, tires should be
checked when cold, or haven't been driven for at least three hours.
During National Tire
Safety Week, RMA and its partners will promote tire care education
to motorists throughout the country. More than 18,000 tire dealers,
auto dealers, AAA clubs and others throughout the country will provide
RMA tire care information brochures to consumers. Additionally,
most tire retail locations provide free tire pressure services to
motorists throughout the year.
"Our goal during
National Tire Safety Week is to encourage all motorists to take
five minutes to be tire smart and help save lives, save fuel and
save the environment," Zielinski said.
National Tire Safety
Week is an initiative of RMA's "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART"
program to educate motorists about the importance of proper tire
care and promote a safer driving experience. Drivers are encouraged
to play their PART in National Tire Safety Week by addressing the
four key elements of tire care: Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and
Tread.
The Be Tire Smart program
is funded by RMA's tire manufacturer members: Bridgestone Americas
Holding, Inc., Continental Tire North America, Inc., Cooper Tire
& Rubber Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Michelin
North America, Inc., Pirelli North America, Inc., Toyo Tire Holdings
of Americas Inc. and Yokohama Tire Corporation.
For more information
about National Tire Safety Week, please visit www.betiresmart.org.
The Rubber Manufacturers
Association is the national trade association for the rubber products
industry. Its members include more than 80 companies that manufacture
various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded
goods, and other finished rubber products.
Source: Rubber Manufacturers
Association
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