'Stay-At-Home' Americans Should Check Their Tires Before Hitting the Road

AKRON, Ohio, April 24 -- In a year of war in the Middle East, mysterious respiratory diseases in Asia and a slumping economy at home, Americans are getting back to basics -- they're planning more driving vacations in the U.S. this summer.

And if the aversion to air travel or cruise ship vacations results in more miles on the family car this year, perhaps the smartest journey they'll make is to their nearest air pump.

Experts at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company suggest motorists check their tire condition and air pressure before heading off on any vacation journeys, in order to be sure their tires will operate both safely and economically.

Cost-wise, underinflated tires can increase fuel consumption, costing motorists extra miles per gallon. On the safety side, motorists should avoid severely under- or overinflated tires, or those with insufficient tread depth or structural damage.

"Undoubtedly, if we could grab consumers' attention, and help them to understand that proper maintenance of vehicles and tires translates into increased automotive safety, optimum driving performance and significant cost savings, they would more likely take good care of their tires," said Mike Kitz, Goodyear's vice president of marketing, North American Tire.

With that objective, Goodyear continues to make tire care information available to consumers, especially timely with the April 27 - May 3 period slated as "National Tire Safety Week" by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. Many Goodyear retailers distribute tire care brochures, and offer free tire inflation and tread inspections; and easy-to-find maintenance advice is offered at www.goodyeartires.com .

Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation printed on a vehicle's door placard or in the owner's manual, not the maximum limit stamped on a tire sidewall. According to Goodyear, the inflation pressure of tires normally should be checked monthly or before any long trips.

Despite higher gasoline prices this year, indications are that Americans are planning to hit the road domestically more than usual.

Across the country, many travel offices are reporting that requests for maps, routing advice and domestic travel information are up 10 percent or more over last year. An outlook of "Home Sweet Home" appears to be appealing to American travelers who are content to plan vacations that involve destinations to which they can drive, choosing to avoid uncertainties and perhaps an "unwelcome mat" in various parts of the world.

"While many Americans are concentrating their 2003 travel plans on something a little closer to home than usual, we want to be sure they give tire and vehicle maintenance as much attention to detail as the professional crews that take care of the planes and ships that they seem to be forgoing this year," said Kitz.

And some of the money saved this year by skipping the big overseas vacation or the luxurious cruise trip might even come in handy if they want to purchase a new set of tires or some other upgrade for their personal vehicle.