"Properly checking tires means checking at least once a month before tires have been driven even a mile and inflating them to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended pressure, not the pressure listed on the tire sidewall," say Rubber Manufacturers Association officials.
The RMA has released other tire-related statistics as part of its "Be Tire Smart -- Play Your PART" tire safety campaign:
* 45% of drivers wrongly believe that if they are taking a trip with a fully loaded vehicle, they are better off using tires that are slightly underinflated;
* nearly seven out of 10 drivers don't know how to tell if their tires are bald;
* 71% of drivers do not check their spare tire's pressure.
* three out of every four drivers wash their vehicles at least once a month, but only one out of every seven checks their tire pressure.
