Americans are Driving Clean, Well-Oiled Cars With Improperly Maintained Tires

85 Percent of Drivers Don't Properly Check Tire Pressure, Wasting Billions on Fuel

WASHINGTON, April 26 -- U.S. drivers are more likely to wash their cars than correctly check tire pressure, according to a national survey released today by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). The survey found that three out of four American drivers wash their vehicle at least once a month while only one in seven correctly checks tire pressure.

Motorists rank checking tire pressure as the second most important regular vehicle safety action, but more than three times as many drivers believe regular oil changes are most important to the safe operation of their vehicles. Correct tire pressure maximizes vehicle safety, performance and tire life, but 85 percent of drivers do not properly check tire pressure.

"Our research shows that too many Americans are driving clean, well-oiled cars on poorly maintained tires, and we want to change that by helping motorists to be tire smart," said Donald B. Shea, RMA president and CEO. "We want American motorists to become as conscientious about checking tires as they are about using safety belts."

RMA's annual survey is being released in conjunction with National Tire Safety Week, a tire industry initiative that runs April 25-May 1. National Tire Safety Week seeks to encourage drivers to Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART and check your tires once a month. PART stands for Pressure, Alignment, Rotation, and Tread -- the four key elements of tire care.

Shea also noted that high gasoline costs can be reduced with properly inflated tires. "Keeping tires properly inflated improves gas mileage and saves money," he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drivers can improve their gas mileage by about 3.3 percent by keeping tires inflated to the proper pressure. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Energy said under-inflated tires waste 4 million gallons of gasoline daily -- or nearly 1.5 billion gallons annually -- in America. At today's prices, that's nearly $3 billion dollars a year in additional gasoline costs.

  Other findings from RMA's 2004 study include:

  * More than half of drivers -- 55 percent -- wrongly believe that the
    correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall.

  * 30 percent of drivers wrongly believe that the best time to check their
    tires is when they are warm after being driven for at least a few miles.

  * Nearly 1/3 of drivers wrongly believe that if they are taking a trip
    with a fully loaded vehicle that they are better off if their tires are
    a little bit underinflated.

  * Two out of three drivers don't know how to tell if their tires are bald.

"Underinflated tires cause excessive heat buildup and heat is the enemy of a tire," Shea said. "Over time, this can cause internal damage that may lead to tire failure."

Tire retailers of all sizes have partnered with RMA to promote tire safety, including Belle Tire, Best One Tires, Big 10 Tires, Big O Tires, Costco, Discount Tire Company, Firestone, Goodyear, Kauffman Tire, Les Schwab, Merchants, NTB, Peerless Tyre, Pep Boys, Sears, STS, Sullivan Tire, Tire Centers, LLC, Tire Factory, Tire Kingdom, Town Fair Tire, and VIP and thousands of independent tire dealers.

National Tire Safety Week partners are distributing RMA's educational brochure on proper tire care and maintenance, hosting events to teach motorists about tire care, and including tire care information in their advertising and marketing materials. This year more than 3.5 million RMA tire safety brochures are being distributed to consumers through more than 8,400 tire retail outlets across the country.

Several state governors have issued proclamations in support of National Tire Safety Week, including Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. Additionally, other RMA partners have sought proclamations from home-state governors and cities. A number of state highway safety agencies have offered to include tire safety messages in their overall safety advocacy efforts including Arizona, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Texas.

Additionally, RMA has or will host tire care clinics in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Austin, Johnstown, Pennsylvania and Baltimore. Each event invites motorists for a free tire inflation pressure and tread wear check.

A version of National Tire Safety Week also will be held in Canada, where the Rubber Association of Canada will cosponsor Be Tire Smart week.

National Tire Safety Week was launched by RMA in April 2002 as an initiative of its Be Tire Smart, Play Your PART program. The educational program aims to teach drivers about the importance of taking simple care and maintenance steps to keep tires safe and performing at optimal levels. More than five million Be Tire Smart, Play Your Part brochures have been distributed to consumers the past three years. For additional tire safety tips or to learn more about National Tire Safety Week, visit www.betiresmart.org.

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