Tire manufacturers and merchants nationwide are in full pedal-to-the-medal mode through June 13 as the industry is on a roll during this year’s Tire Safety Week.
The eighth annual event seeks to educate motorists about the proper care and maintenance of their tires. The 2009 edition of the program is attracting record participation among tire retailers, auto service centers and car dealers, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA).
The RMA has thus-far shipped more than 5.5 million of its “Be Tire Smart” brochures to some 21,000-plus auto-related businesses in connection with the organization’s “Be Tire Smart, Play Your PART” campaign. PART stands for Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread.
Discount Tire has been involved with the initiative since its inception. More than 750 of the company’s locations – known as America’s Tire in Oregon and parts of California – are providing free tire safety inspections that take just 3-5 minutes for a tire specialist to complete.
The retailer is also lending the support of NASCAR Nationwide Series racer David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 Discount Tire Ford Fusion, who has voiced the RMA’s national radio public service announcement on the topic of tire care.
“Using RMA’s simple tire care tips, consumers can maximize their vehicle safety, achieve better fuel economy and get the most wear from their tires,” says Hugh Pace, chairman and CEO at Pirelli, one of several participating tire makers.
In an RMA research partnership with retailers, customer surveys revealed that about half of the country’s cars had at least one under inflated tire; nearly one in five had a tire that was significantly underinflated enough to waste gas or compromise occupant safety.
Among the RMA’s tire pressure survey findings:
- Only 9 percent of vehicles had four properly inflated tires.
- 50 percent of vehicles had at least one underinflated tire.
- 19 percent of vehicles had at least one tire underinflated by 8 pounds per square inch (psi).
- 26 percent of vehicles had at least one tire underinflated by 6 psi.
- 38 percent of vehicles had at least one tire underinflated by 4 psi.
Although all new vehicles are now equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), the technology issues a low pressure warning only after tire pressure drops 25 percent below the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended level. In many cases, an 8 psi loss of pressure would not trigger a warning light, yet the situation could cause a dip in fuel economy and lead to a safety issue.
“We are extremely grateful to our retail partners who committed resources and effort to help collect this information,” says Dan Zielinski, the RMA’s senior vice president of public affairs. “The data is very helpful in demonstrating the need for continued education efforts to help consumers understand the importance of regular tire care.”
The tire pressure research was collected on 5,478 vehicles in Boston; Providence, R.I.; the Jacksonville, Orlando and West Palm Beach areas of Florida; Philadelphia; St. Louis; Phoenix; Albuquerque, N.M.; Houston and Austin in Texas; Chicago; Detroit and Portland, Ore.
Participating tire retailers were Sullivan Tire and Auto (Boston, Providence); National Tire and Battery (NTB) (Chicago, Houston); Discount Tire (Albuquerque, Phoenix, Austin, Detroit); Auto Tire (St. Louis); Les Schwab Tire (Portland); Pep Boys (Philadelphia); and Tire Kingdom (Jacksonville, Orlando and West Palm Beach).
“Taking five minutes every month to check tire pressure will put money in consumers’ pockets, reduce national fuel consumption, help tires last longer and save lives,” notes Charles A. Cannon, the RMA’s CEO and president. “Few actions that are so simple and quick to do have such striking benefits,” he points out.
Properly inflated tires can improve fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent and save 6 cents per gallon at the pump, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. About 1.2 billion gallons of fuel are wasted each year by U.S. motorists driving on underinflated tires.
While a strong majority of drivers rate checking tire pressure as one of the top actions they can take to save fuel, 82 percent do not know how to properly accomplish this task:
- 44 percent of drivers wrongly believe that the correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall.
- Another 14 percent do not know where to find the correct pressure.
- 20 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 2 out of 3 drivers do not know how to tell if their tires are bald.
To properly check tire pressure, motorists should check once each month; check tires when cold – before the vehicle is driven and; use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure found on a label located on the driver’s door or door post or check the owner’s manual.
“In an Earth Day address this year, President Obama repeated his fuel-saving campaign advice to Americans to check tire pressure,” says Cannon. “We couldn't agree more and hope more Americans will take five minutes every month and be tire smart.”
Discount Tire has assembled a list of five key tips:
1. Get Pressure Right Low tire pressure decreases fuel economy. Tires may lose up to 1 psi per month. The specific inflation pressure number can be found on the vehicle placard located on the driver’s side doorpost, glove box door, fuel door or in the owner’s manual. For accurate pressure, check tires when cool and don’t forget the spare. Custom tires and wheels may change standard air pressure requirements, so if you customize have a pro check them out before you go.
2. Don’t Overload Vehicle Overloading decreases fuel economy due to increased wind drag and cargo weight. Handling, control and braking are also negatively impacted.
3. Rotate Before You Go Regular rotation helps achieve uniform tire wear and improve road performance. Tires rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles have longer life and help maximize your tire investment. It makes sense to get a tire inspection when you rotate.
4. Straighten Up Proper tire alignment provides safe, predictable vehicle control as well as a ride that is smooth, comfortable and free of pulling or vibration. Proper alignment helps tires wear evenly and last longer.
5. Bald Isn’t Beautiful Lack of tread affects the tire’s ability to grip the road. Make sure tires don’t have uneven wear, high or low areas or unusually smooth areas that can increase the risk of road accidents.
For more information, visit www.betiresmart.org, www.tires.com and www.us.pirelli.com.
