Drivers suffering from price fatigue when filling up can get some relief by measuring their tire pressure monthly to ensure they are properly inflated.
Canadian drivers will pay an estimated $703 million in unnecessary fuel bills in 2012 simply because one or more of their tires are under-inflated, according to data from Natural Resources Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada, which represents tire makers.
This year alone underinflated tires will cause motorists to waste an estimated 533 million litres of fuel - enough to power 275,000 vehicles for a full year. This needless fuel consumption will also release an additional 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
What causes all this waste is higher than necessary rolling resistance. A tire that is under-inflated does not roll as smoothly or as easily as it was intended. The result is increased rolling resistance, which requires the vehicle to burn more fuel to push the tire down the road.
The tire industry is advising drivers who want optimal fuel efficiency to reduce rolling resistance - and their fuel bills - by ensuring that their tires are always properly inflated and maintained.
Tire under-inflation on Canada's roadways is widespread. According to Rubber Association of Canada research, one-third of Canada's 20 million automobiles have at least one under-inflated tire.
