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Discount Tire / America's Tire and the Rubber Manufacturers Assocation Highlight Proper Tire Care, Provide
Safety Tips and Tools to Consumers for National Tire Safety Week. |
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Motorists unaware that tire maintenance is critical to road safety |
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Scottsdale, Ariz. - April 20, 2006
Under-inflated tires result in 33,000 injuries and 660 fatalities each
year on U.S. roads. Scottsdale-based Discount Tire, America largest
independent tire store, and the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA)
have partnered in a nationwide effort to educate consumers about
essential tire safety maintenance practices during National Tire Safety
Week, which runs April 23-30. |
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Discount Tire will provide free tire safety kits at more than 600
retail store outlets throughout the U.S. as part of the RMA's "Be
Tire Smart -- Play Your PART" consumer education campaign. The
campaign highlights Pressure, Alignment, Rotation and Tread (PART)
as the four essential areas of tire maintenance. The tire safety kits
include an air pressure gauge, tread depth gauge and a RMA "Be Tire
Smart -- Play Your PART" brochure with easy-to-follow tire maintenance
tips and a safety checklist for motorist to keep in their vehicles
and use each month during their routine tire inspections. |
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Discount Tire also is lending the support of NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson
to the RMA for a nationwide radio public service announcement regarding
the importance of maintaining proper vehicle tire inflation pressure.
Discount Tire is the primary sponsor of the No. 41 Discount Tire Dodge
and Busch Series driver Reed Sorenson of the Chip Ganassi Racing with
Felix Sabates Team. |
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Tom Englert, Chief Executive Officer of Discount Tire says, "Checking
a vehicle's tire inflation pressure is one of the most critical things
a motorist can do to improve their own road safety and that of their
passengers. Improperly inflated tires often lead to decreased steering
and braking control as well as excessive tire wear. Regular tire maintenance
can lead to longer lasting tires, better fuel economy and safer vehicles
on our roads." |
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Discount Tire provides free tire air pressure and tread depth checks by trained
tire technicians at all of its retail stores nationwide. |
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Donald B. Shea, RMA President and Chief Executive Officer says,
"American motorists are not aware of the overall impact proper
tire maintenance has on road safety. Tires are the only part of
the vehicle that touch the road so it's very important that they
receive regular basic maintenance to ensure they function properly." |
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According a driver survey conducted by the RMA:
• 81% of drivers do not know how to check their tire inflation pressure
• 53% of drivers wrongly believe that the correct inflation pressure is printed on the tire sidewall
• 31% of drivers don't know how to tell if their tires are "bald"
• 73% of drivers do not check the tire pressure in their spare tire.
• Each month, 3-out-of-4 drivers wash their cars while only 1-out-of-5 correctly checks their tire pressure.
National Tire Safety Week was initiated to promote tire care maintenance
as an essential vehicle safety measure. The RMA launched National Tire
Safety Week in April 2002 as an initiative of its "Be Tire Smart �
Play Your PART" program. PART stands for Pressure, Alignment, Rotation
and Tread. Discount Tire has been involved in the initiative since its inception. |
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About The Rubber Manufacturers Association
RMA launched National Tire Safety Week in April 2002 as an initiative of
its "Be Tire Smart � Play Your PART" program. PART stands for Pressure,
Alignment, Rotation and Tread. This year over 14,000 tire retailers
nationwide are participating in the effort to educate motorists about
the importance of tire care. For more information about the RMA, visit
www.rma.org. |
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