Phoenix, Ariz., June 6, 2010. If you think your vehicle’s tires are properly inflated, think again. According to a recent survey by the Rubber Manufacturer’s Association (RMA), only seven percent of vehicles in Phoenix have all four tires properly inflated. To help spread awareness about the importance of proper tire care, AAA is joining the RMA by recognizing June 6-12 as National Tire Safety Week.

Under-inflated tires contribute to more than 600 fatalities and 33,000 injuries each year, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates. Additionally, recent RMA survey results found that nearly 79 percent of vehicles in Phoenix had at least one tire under-inflated by 6 or more  pounds per square inch (psi).

“Last summer, our Roadside Assistance team responded to more than 18,000 tire-related calls in Arizona,” said General Manager of Automotive Products for AAA Arizona, John Walter. “The best way to avoid being one of those calls and prevent a tire failure – or any vehicle component failure – is through proper care and preventative maintenance.”

In honor of National Tire Safety Week, AAA would like to offer the following “Do’s and Don’ts” of tire care:

• Do check for under inflated tires, which are one of the leading causes of tire failure, causing the tire to wear faster and adversely affect a vehicle’s handling. A tire can lose up to 50 percent of its pressure without appearing flat (RMA).
  
  
• Don’t over inflate tires, which have an increased risk of tread separation, and can easily be damaged by things like road debris and potholes.
  
  
• Do fill to the correct tire pressure, which is listed in the owner’s manual or on the driver’s door, not the tire itself. In addition, pressure should be checked when the tire is cold.
  
  
• Don’t rely on pressure monitoring systems, which are designed to warn motorists once tires are 25 percent underinflated, which may be too late to prevent damage caused by under-inflation (RMA).
  
  
• Do check tread depth, which is imperative to the tire providing the vehicle with adequate traction.

“National Tire Safety Week serves as a timely reminder for motorists to check their tires regularly, especially as triple digits become the norm,” Walter said. “Motorists can perform the checks themselves, or request that their trusted technicians do so when the vehicle is taken in for service.”

Motorists in need of a trusted technician can search AAA’s network of club owned or approved auto repair facilities statewide.

AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 800,000 Arizona members.  Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists.  Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.  In 2008, AAA was ranked the No. 1 “socially responsible” brand by Landor’s BrandAsset® Valuator.