 Newsletter
- Autumn 2001
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Featured Articles:
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Driving Tips
» Vacation
Tips
Summer Driving Tips
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) recommends taking
five minutes every month and before every long drive to check
your tires, including the spare. Through its Be Tire Smart
– Play Your PART campaign, RMA offers consumer-friendly
tips that demonstrate the correct way to check tire pressure and
tread wear, and information about driving factors that can affect
tire pressure, alignment and rotation. For many Americans, the
summer season is driving season. These tire safety tips are designed
to help drivers make sure that they’re ready for safe, enjoyable
road trips this summer.
Tire Pressure
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Make sure you check your tire pressure regularly
– at least once per month and before every long trip --
including the spare and keep it at the level recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer.
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The correct cold inflation pressure for your
tires is listed on the vehicle placard on the door post, fuel
door, glove box or in the owners' manual. "Cold inflation
pressure" refers to the pressure in a tire that has not
been driven for at least three hours. As tires warm during driving,
it is normal for pressure to build up. Never "bleed"
or reduce air pressure when tires are hot.
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The tire pressure listed on your sidewalls is
the maximum pressure and is not intended to serve as notification
of the correct pressure.
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Underinflation creates excessive stresses and
heat and is a leading cause of tire failure. It is also important
to guard against overinflation, which can cause uneven wear
plus handling and stopping problems.
Vehicle Loading and Overloading
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Before you fill the trunk and the roof rack
with your stuff, check out the vehicle manufacturers recommendations
for loading your vehicle. You may not realize it, but you and
your passengers count towards the total recommended vehicle
weight.
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The vehicle manufacturers loading recommendation
can be found on the vehicle information placard on the door
post or in the vehicle owners’ manual.
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Overloading your vehicle creates excessive heat
inside your tires. Excessive heat can cause tire failure that
could result in vehicle damage and/or serious injury or even
death.
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And don’t forget, if you’re going
to be driving long distances with a loaded vehicle or you haven’t
had your car checked in a while, have the alignment and rotation
checked. Tires and wheels that are out of balance or misaligned
can cause uneven wear or vehicle problems. Have your car checked
by an automotive service professional before you leave.
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Check the tread grooves of your tires to make
sure that they’re free of foreign objects. This makes it
easier for your tires to grip the road and increases your ability
to safely maneuver your car.
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Also check the sidewalls to make sure there
are no gouges, cuts, bulges or other irregularities.
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You may have irregular tread wear if there are
high and low areas or unusually smooth areas. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or “wear bars,” which look like narrow
strips of smooth rubber across the tread will appear on the
tire when the tread is worn down to one-sixteenth of an inch.
When you see these “wear bars,” the tire is worn out
and should be replaced.
For more tire safety tips and information about the Be Tire Smart
– Play Your PART campaign visit the website at www.rma.org/tiresafety.
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Have a Safe Vacation!
 Whether
you're traveling around the world or relaxing at home, a safe,
healthy vacation will add to your summer fun. The American Council
on Science and Health offers a number of helpful health and safety
tips to keep in mind when planning this summer's vacation.
1. Contrary to popular wisdom, mayonnaise in your summer chicken
salad is usually not the cause of food poisoning; it is more likely
that the source of the problem is improperly handled chicken (undercooked,
unrefrigerated, or both).
2. Prevent premature aging and reduce your risk of skin cancer
by using a good "broad spectrum" sunscreen.
3. Choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA
and UVB radiation.
4. Avoid overheating in the summer sun by drinking plenty of liquids
and taking breaks in cool places.
5. To stay safe while swimming or boating, know your limitations
-- and never swim alone. Most of the 7,000 yearly deaths by drowning
are preventable.
6. Always wear a protective helmet when biking or rollerblading.
The American Medical Association reports that 75 percent of the
cyclists who die each year die from head injuries.
7. To avoid bacterial food poisoning, always keep your hot foods
hot and your cold foods cold.
8. Be aware of the tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme disease. Take
precautions (wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants; apply insect
repellent) to avoid being bitten. If you do get bitten, know which
symptoms to watch out for, as early treatment is important.
9. Don't let an itch ruin your vacation. Poison ivy, poison oak,
and poison sumac grow widely throughout the United States. To
avoid or lessen the unpleasant itching rash these plants cause,
wash the contact area with soap and water.
10. Pack a healthy suitcase: Bring along a first-aid kit, ample
supplies of prescription medicines -- and copies of your prescriptions.
11. Take steps to prevent travelers' maladies such as motion sickness
and traveler's diarrhea. If they should occur, know how to treat
them.
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