AKRON, Ohio - High gas prices notwithstanding, Americans love to travel, and the nation's most well-known automotive travel authority predicts a record number of drivers during this Memorial Day holiday weekend. Many of those travelers will simply jump in their vehicles and drive, ignorant of the condition of the only part of their cars that comes in contact with the road -- the tires.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company urge motorists to take a few minutes to inspect their tires, or to visit a local tire and service outlet for a check-up. This advice comes at the outset of the holiday weekend in which AAA (American Automobile Association) estimates that record numbers of Americans -- 37.2 million -- will travel 50 miles or more from home. This represents a 2.2 percent increase from last year.

AAA says 84 percent of those holiday travelers are expected to go by motor vehicle. They'll likely pay considerably more this year in fuel costs for their vehicles, too. Gas prices are averaging about 10 cents per gallon more this year, as compared to the Memorial Day weekend of 2004.

This is even more incentive to check tire condition and air pressure before heading off on any vacation journeys. Underinflated tires can increase fuel consumption, costing motorists extra miles per gallon. On the safety side, motorists should avoid severely under- or overinflated tires, or those with insufficient tread depth or structural damage.

Tires should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation printed on a vehicle's door placard or in the owner's manual, not the maximum limit stamped on a tire sidewall. The inflation pressure of tires normally should be checked monthly or before any long trips.