According to the Rubber Association of Canada (RAC), Canadians burned an extra 643 million litres of fuel in 2008 simply because their tires were not properly inflated. This translates into $772 million of unnecessary fuel bills each year as well as tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, 23% of us are driving around with tires that are inflated to less than 80% of the optimal level. Simply checking and inflating your tires can lower fuel bills and help save the environment.

Research from the RAC suggests that 40% of us don't know how to correctly inflate our tires. More importantly, very few drivers equate inflation to tire safety. Thousands of fatalities and injuries occur in vehicle accidents caused by under-inflated tires each year.

Tires should be checked and inflated every month. Here are a few tips to help you out:

Wait until tires have been stationary for 3 hours so they are "cold."
Check the driver's side door panel for your vehicle's correct inflation PSI.
Visual checks may under- or over-inflate a tire. Use a tire gauge as shown below:

Regular maintenance is also an essential part of ensuring your tires work efficiently and last longer. Just by aligning your vehicle and rotating tires as suggested by the manufacturer, you can save up to an additional $142 every year!

Fountain Tire carries products that can further improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle. The Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tire boasts both wet and dry compounds, and a tread material that saves you 1625 kilometres in gas mileage over the life of the tire! The new Goodyear ComforTred Touring tire is another option for great fuel economy and a quiet ride.

--Adapted from "Drivers Can Go Green" www.betiresmart.ca