Fact Check: Properly inflated tires cut gas use

WASHINGTON - John McCain and his Republican Party are gleefully mocking Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's suggestion that properly inflated tires could help save oil. The thing is, there's some truth to it.

Obama may have exaggerated when he said simply inflating tires and getting regular tuneups would save just as much oil as the offshore drilling McCain is proposing. But automotive experts long have suggested those steps to cut gas bills.

THE SPIN:

Obama told voters at a campaign stop last week in Springfield, Mo., that they can take steps individually to save energy.

"Making sure your tires are properly inflated, simple thing, but we could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling, if everybody was just inflating their tires and getting regular tuneups," Obama said. "You could actually save just as much."

Republicans are ridiculing the suggestion that inflated tires could be the solution to dependence on foreign oil. The Republican National Committee is mailing donors tire gauges that say "Obama Energy Plan" in exchange for $25 donations.

McCain says consumers should inflate their tires, but that it's not enough to break dependence on Middle Eastern oil.

"The only thing I've heard him say is that we should inflate our tires," McCain said. "So he has no plan for addressing the energy challenges that we face."

THE FACTS:

The Department of Energy estimates that keeping tires properly inflated can help improve gas mileage by about 3.3 percent. It's one step the agency recommends to reduce fuel costs, along with removing items from the trunk, replacing clogged air filters and getting regular tuneups.

The Obama campaign could not provide figures to back up his claim that inflating tires and getting tuneups would save just as much oil as could be produced by offshore drilling. Offshore drilling is off limits under current law, but McCain wants to lift the ban to alleviate high gas prices. Obama said last week he would be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling as part of a comprehensive energy policy, a shift from his previous position.

But McCain is wrong when he says inflating tires is the only thing Obama is proposing to address America's energy challenges.

Besides the recommendation to keep tires properly inflated, Obama also suggested providing incentives for people to trade in gas guzzling vehicles for more fuel-efficient cars; investing in research and development to produce new fuel-saving technologies like long-running batteries; encouraging innovation in alternative energies; and retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient.