Under-inflated Tires A Highway Menace
One out of every four cars now on the road has a tire that's significantly under-inflated, reports Jeff Gilbert of CBS Station WWJ-AM. It's the same for one out of every three light trucks.
The figures are based on a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released Wednesday.
Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta urged drivers to check their tire pressure before making any holiday trips.
"Driving with substantially under-inflated tires can lead to crashes and tragedy, in addition to reducing fuel efficiency and shortening tire life," Mineta said.
NHTSA's check of 11,530 vehicles around the country shows that despite government and industry warnings that under-inflated tires can lead to deadly highway accidents, many people still are not keeping their tires inflated to recommended levels.
NHTSA recommends that tire pressure be checked once a month and before every long trip.
"People need to make it a regular part of their maintenance, not only to check the oil and the other fluids in the vehicle, but checking the tire pressure," said NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson.
The survey, conducted during two weeks in February, considered a tire under-inflated if it was eight pounds per square inch or more below the vehicle manufacturer's recommended inflation pressure. That's 25 percent for a common recommended inflation pressure of 32 psi.
The survey found 27 percent of cars and 32 percent of vans, pickups and sport utility vehicles had at least one tire that was under-inflated. Six percent of light trucks and 3 percent of cars checked had all four tires under-inflated.
All vehicles made after November 2003 will be required to have a system to warn drivers about low tire pressure under a rule being drafted by NHTSA. The agency estimates the system will prevent dozens of deaths and thousands of injuries each year.
The Rubber Manufacturers Association has begun a multimillion-dollar campaign to encourage proper tire care called "Be Tire Smart — Play your PART." PART stands for pressure, alignment, rotation and tread, the key aspects of tire maintenance.
Only 4 percent of respondents to a survey conducted for the association last year mentioned tire pressure checks when asked what routine tire maintenance is done on their vehicles.
Fifty-five percent did not know where to find the correct pressure recommendation for their tires, which is in the owner's manual and on the vehicle doorjamb.
"You made an investment in the tire, keep it running as long as you can," said Donald Shea, president of the association. "And obviously, the safety is the most important part."
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