WASHINGTON, April 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twenty-three states have issued proclamations or statements to support the tire industry's education efforts for this year's National Tire Safety Week, which runs April 22-28.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) expressed gratitude to the states for assisting in communicating RMA's message about proper and routine tire care to promote safety, prevent vehicle crashes and save lives.
"Proper tire care is essential to vehicle safety and optimum fuel economy," said Dan Zielinski, RMA vice president, communications. "We appreciate states' efforts to promote highway safety by urging motorists to take just five minutes every month to check their tires."
States issuing a proclamation or statement supporting National Tire Safety Week include: Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The statements are available at http://www.betiresmart.org.
The federal government estimates that 660 fatalities and 33,000 injuries annually are attributed to under-inflated tires. According to an RMA survey, only 19 percent of motorists properly check tire pressure and 70 percent of motorists never check the air in their spare tire. Results found that only one in three drivers knows how to tell if a tire is bald.
National Tire Safety Week is an initiative of RMA's "Be Tire Smart - Play Your PART" tire care education program. RMA is the national trade association for tire manufacturers.
RMA recommends that motorists check tire inflation pressure (including the spare) once a month and before long trips. Drivers should also periodically check wheel alignment and rotate their vehicle's tires every 5,000-8,000 miles to ensure even tire wear. To check tire tread, insert a penny head-first into your tire tread groove. If you can see all of President Lincoln's head, it's time for a new tire.
More than 17,000 tire retail, auto dealer and automotive repair facilities offered RMA's Be Tire Smart brochure to motorists for this year's National Tire Safety Week. Virtually all of RMA's partners offer free tire inflation pressure service all year and will also measure tread depth.
"Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that touch the road," Zielinski said. "With regular care and maintenance, they'll last longer and deliver optimum safety performance."
The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for the rubber products industry. Its members include more than 80 companies that manufacture various rubber products, including tires, hoses, belts, seals, molded goods and other finished rubber products. All RMA press releases are available at http://www.rma.org.