WASHINGTON (June 5, 2009)—National Tire Safety Week, June 7-13, will have the largest participation yet, according to the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
More than 21,000 tire retailers, auto dealers and auto service nations across the U.S. will join in the eighth annual event, the association said. Participating retailers will distribute more than 5.5 million “Be Tire Smart” brochures outlining the importance of proper tire inflation, tire rotation and monitoring tread depth.
Motorists still aren't “tire smart,” according to the most recent RMA survey on consumer tire knowledge. The study collected tire pressure data on 5,478 vehicles in 14 metropolitan areas, and showed half of all vehicles had at least one underinflated tire, and only 9 percent had four properly inflated tires.
Thirty-eight percent of vehicles had one tire 4 psi or more under the recommended pressure, 26 percent had one tire 6 psi or more underinflated, and 19 percent had one tire 8 psi or more underinflated, the RMA said.
In addition to the tire brochures, the RMA is distributing four radio public service announcements on National Tire Safety Week to 3,000 radio stations nationwide.