RMA Urges Americans to 'Be Tire Smart'

WASHINGTON, May 20 -- As millions of Americans hit the highways this Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer, the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) is urging drivers to take five minutes each month and before every long drive to check their tires, including the spare, to ensure that they are in safe and proper condition.

In a public opinion study conducted by RMA, one in three drivers is not checking tire pressure before taking a long trip with a fully loaded vehicle. With AAA projecting more than 29 million drivers opting for road travel this Memorial Day weekend -- an increase from last year -- millions of people could be driving with underinflated or overloaded tires, which puts themselves and other drivers in danger. RMA also found that one in four drivers incorrectly believes that they are better off having their tires a little bit underinflated when their vehicles are fully loaded. Excess baggage and items in a car can put additional pressure and stress on tires, which could lead to tire failure.

In addition, drivers can improve their gas mileage by more than three percent with properly inflated tires. Underinflation increases friction between tires and the road, which will increase a vehicle's fuel consumption.

"Safety is the tire industry's foremost priority," said Donald B. Shea, RMA President and CEO. "Through education and consumer awareness, we hope that drivers realize that regular tire care is easy, takes only minutes a month and that they can do it themselves."

RMA is offering the following recommendations for safer summer road trips:

Be Cool Under Pressure Check the pressure of your tires once a month, and before every long trip. The correct inflation pressure for your tires is specified by the vehicle manufacturer and can be found on either the vehicle door edge, doorpost, glove box door or, fuel door, and is listed in the owner's manual.

The maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire is not the recommended pressure. Make sure the tires are cool -- meaning they are not hot from being driven even a mile.

Take a Load Off Overloading your vehicle creates excessive heat inside your tires, which can lead to tire failure. Before you fill the trunk and the roof rack, check out the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations for loading your vehicle, located on the vehicle information placard on the doorpost or in the vehicle owner's manual. If you're going to be driving long distances with a loaded vehicle, have the alignment and rotation checked. Tires and wheels that are out of balance or misaligned can cause uneven wear or vehicle problems.

Don't Let Your Tread Wear You Down Check the tread grooves and sidewalls of your tires to make sure that they're free of foreign objects, gouges, cuts, bulges or other irregularities. An easy way to check tire tread is to place a penny into a tread groove. If part of Lincoln's head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the proper amount of tread. If you can see all of his head, you should buy a new tire.

As part of RMA's launch of the inaugural National Tire Safety Week (April 29-May 3, 2002), RMA found that 89 percent of drivers are not checking their tire pressure properly. In addition, one in three drivers has never had their wheels aligned and one in five admits to never having checked the tires' tread.

RMA will observe National Tire Safety Week again in 2003 following this year's successful consumer education campaign, which reached approximately 20 million Americans in more than 140 cities nationwide. National Tire Safety Week is an initiative of RMA's "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART" program. RMA members include Bridgestone/Firestone Americas Holding, Inc., Continental Tire North America, Inc., Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Michelin North America, Pirelli North America, Inc. and Yokohama Tire Corporation.

Founded in 1915, the Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association of the rubber industry. Its membership includes more than 100 member companies that manufacture tires and other rubber products. All RMA press releases are available at http://www.rma.org .