The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), AAA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Fairfax County, Va., police teamed up today, June 2, to demonstrate the hazards posed by under inflated tires.
The event kicks off next week's 10th annual National Tire Safety Week (June 5-11), an initiative of RMA's Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART tire maintenance education program.
Fairfax police driving instructors first drove vehicles with properly inflated tires and then vehicles with significantly under inflated tires through simple maneuvers to demonstrate how vehicle handling is negatively affected by poor tire maintenance.
According to an RMA survey, 85% of motorists do not know how to properly inflate tires. Under inflated tires pose a safety risk because they generate heat inside the tire, which can cause damage that leads to failure. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that properly inflated tires will improve vehicle fuel economy by 3.3% and save up to 12 cents per gallon at the pump.
"Ten years ago, NHTSA and AAA helped RMA launch National Tire Safety Week," says Charles Cannon, RMA president and CEO. "Our partnership and efforts continue today because our job is not finished. Too many drivers fail to do one simple task every month that will reduce their safety risk and help our nation conserve valuable natural resources. Checking tire pressure takes just five minutes and it's worth every second."
For more information on RMA, visit www.rma.org.
