10th National Tire Safety Week Announced

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Rubber Manufacturers Association today announced the tenth Annual National Tire Safety Week will be held June 5-11, 2011.

National Tire Safety Week is an initiative of the RMA's "Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART" program, a year-round effort designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition.  RMA is the national trade association for tire manufacturers.

Tire manufacturers and retailers nationwide will work to educate motorists about proper tire care and maintenance.  RMA provides tire retailers, auto dealers and automotive repair shops with free "Be Tire Smart" brochures and other materials.  Many participating retail outlets use the opportunity to promote tire care through advertising, promotions, free tire pressure checks and conducting media outreach.  

More than 21,000 tire dealers, auto dealers and automotive repair shops participated during the 2010 National Tire Safety Week.  RMA released a survey of more than 6,300 vehicles that showed 55% of vehicles had at least one under inflated tire.  Fifteen percent of vehicles had at least one tire under inflated by 8 pounds per square inch (psi).  Under inflated tires waste fuel, risk safety and cause tires to wear out faster.  The study also showed that 10% of vehicles had at least one bald tire.

Partners in the Be Tire Smart program include tire retailers, auto dealers, safety advocates and state government agencies.  Among the list of Be Tire Smart partners are: AAA, Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), Big 10 Tires, Belle Tire, Big O Tires, Costco, Discount Tire Co., Dunn Tire, Expert Tire, Firestone Complete Auto Care, GCR Tire Centers, Goodyear Auto Centers, Hyundai Motor America, Just Tires, Kaufman Tire, Les Schwab, Merchant's Tire, Midas, National Tire and Battery (NTB), National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Northwest Tire Factory, Peerless Tires, Pep Boys, Sears Automotive Centers, STS Tire and Auto Centers, Sullivan Tire and Auto Service, Tire Industry Association (TIA), Tire Kingdom, Tire One, Tires Plus, Tire Pros, Town Fair Tires, VIP Parts, Tires and Service, Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express and many others.

Tire and auto retailers who are interested in obtaining free RMA materials for National Tire Safety Week can order them online at www.betiresmart.org. Those who have participated in the event before can expect to receive materials again this year.

The Be Tire Smart program is funded by RMA's tire manufacturer members: Bridgestone Americas, Inc., Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Michelin North America, Inc., Pirelli Tire North America, Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas, Inc., and Yokohama Tire Corporation.

For more information on the Be Tire Smart Program and National Tire Safety Week visit www.betiresmart.org.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for tire manufacturers that make tires in the U.S.   All RMA press releases can be accessed at www.rma.org.

SOURCE Rubber Manufacturers Association