A date change from late April to early June is in the offing for 2009’s eighth annual National Tire Safety Week, which will be held June 7-13. Future National Tire Safety Weeks also will be scheduled for June.
The event is an initiative of the “Be Tire Smart – Play Your PART” program, a year-round effort from the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) designed to help drivers learn the simple steps they can take to ensure that their tires are in good working condition
Manufacturers and tire dealers nationwide will work to educate motorists about proper tire care and maintenance. The RMA provides tire dealers, auto dealerships and 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 19,000 tire dealers, auto dealerships and repair shops participated during the 2008 National Tire Safety Week.
“Each year, we continue to see more tire and auto industry retail locations join in the effort to help educate motorists about the benefits of regular tire maintenance,” says Dan Zielinski, RMA senior vice president. “Ensuring that tires are properly inflated every month will save consumers money at the gas pump, help keep tires rolling longer and promote safety.”
Safety advocates and state government agencies are also among the participants in the program. The partnership lineup includes: The American Automobile Association (AAA); American Car Care Centers (ACCC); Automotive Service Excellence (ASE); Big 10 Tires; Belle Tire; Big O Tires; Costco; Discount Tire Co.; Expert Tire; Firestone Complete Auto Care; GCR Tire Centers; Goodyear Auto Centers; Just Tires; Kaufman Tire; Les Schwab; Merchant’s Tire; National Tire and Battery (NTB); the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA); Northwest Tire; Peerless Tires; Pep Boys; Sears Automotive Centers; STS Tire and Auto Centers; Sullivan Tire and Auto Service; Tire Factory; the Tire Industry Association (TIA); Tire Kingdom; Tire One; Tires Plus; Tire Warehouse; Town Fair Tires; VIP Parts, Tires and Service; and Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express.
Those interested in obtaining free RMA materials for National Tire Safety Week can order them online at www.betiresmart.org. If you have participated in the event in the past, you can expect to receive materials again for 2009.
The Be Tire Smart program is funded by the RMA’s tire manufacturer members: Bridgestone Americas, Inc.; Continental Tire North America, Inc.; the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.; The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.; Michelin North America, Inc.; Pirelli North America, Inc.; Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas, Inc.; and Yokohama Tire Corp.
For more information, visit www.betiresmart.org and www.rma.org.
