Tire Smart Tire Safety Tour' Local Event Helps Consumers As New Survey Shows Drivers Still Lack Basic Tire Safety Knowledge

Rubber Manufacturers Association Hosts 'Be Tire Smart Tire Safety Tour' With Discount Tire, TxDOT and AAA; Local Event Helps Consumers As New Survey Shows Drivers Still Lack Basic Tire Safety Knowledge

    DALLAS, July 13 The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
today brought its "Be Tire Smart Tire Safety Tour" to the Metroplex with a
free tire pressure check day event at a local Discount Tire Company store in
Carrollton. The consumer education event is the fourth stop in a six-city
summer tour that highlights the importance of proper tire care and maintenance
by providing drivers with useful tire safety tips and advice.
    In a recent RMA-sponsored survey conducted in Dallas and five other cities
in the Southwest, 61 percent of drivers earned a grade of "D" or lower on a
basic tire safety quiz.  Only 34 percent of drivers knew the proper place to
check for the recommended tire pressure for their vehicles' tires and only 28
percent knew how often their vehicles' tires should be rotated.  In spite of
these low awareness numbers, 97 percent of drivers felt that maintenance of
their tires was at least somewhat important.
    RMA's Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART program helps drivers learn the
simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working
condition.  The "Be Tire Smart Tire Safety Tour" has already visited Phoenix,
Houston and San Antonio and will stop in Albuquerque and San Diego later this
month.  In each tour city, consumers are encouraged to visit a local Discount
Tire store for a free tire safety check.  At each event, consumers receive a
free tire gauge and a tire safety brochure, which describes simple, easy-to-
follow steps to properly care for and maintain their tires.  Throughout the
summer, nearly 200 Discount Tire stores in the six cities will stock the
consumer information brochure and both the RMA and Discount Tire Web sites
will feature additional information on proper tire care and maintenance.
    "Drivers' safety is the number one concern of the Rubber Manufacturers
Association.  By partnering with Discount Tire, the Texas Department of
Transportation and AAA Texas, we are increasing our ability to reach out to
consumers with timely, important information on tire care and maintenance,"
said Donald B. Shea, President and CEO of RMA.  "Proper tire care and
maintenance is especially important this summer as consumers prepare to hit
the road during the busy summer travel season."
    "Consumer safety has always been an important issue to Discount Tire
Company and we are pleased to partner with the Rubber Manufacturers
Association in the Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART program," said Discount Tire
Company CEO Gary T. Van Brunt.  "Not only is a regular maintenance program
important for the safety of the driver and passengers, it will promote longer
tread life, a smoother ride, more uniform tire wear, and it will result in
reduced gas consumption and better vehicle handling."
    In addition to Discount Tire, program partners in the Metroplex include
the Dallas District Office of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
and AAA Texas.  This summer, the Dallas office of TxDOT will provide copies of
the tire safety brochure to consumers through their Courtesy Patrol and other
public information activities.  AAA Texas will continue to distribute the
brochure through its club locations in Houston and throughout the state.
    "Consumers need simple, straightforward advice about how to take care of
their tires. We're happy to support the Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART
campaign by helping distribute this kind of information throughout the
region," said Jay R. Nelson, district engineer for the Dallas District Office
of TxDOT.
    "While often overlooked, tires are an essential component of a vehicle's
safety and roadworthiness," said Anne O'Ryan, Public & Government Affairs
Manager for AAA Texas. "Motorist safety is AAA's top priority. RMA's 'Be Tire
Smart' campaign gives motorists easy steps to help maintain their tires."

    The Rubber Manufacturers Association launched the Be Tire Smart - Play
Your PART campaign in November 2000.  Media coverage of the campaign has
reached millions of Americans through numerous television, radio and newspaper
stories. To date, more than 200,000 brochures have been distributed to
consumers through RMA member companies, local AAA clubs, tire dealers, and the
RMA Web site.  For more information on Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART, visit
the Web site at http://www.rma.org/tiresafety .

    Discount Tire Company is the nation's largest independent tire dealer,
with more than 450 outlets in 18 states nationwide.  Discount Tire is
celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2001.  For more information on the
company, visit the Web site at http://www.tires.com .