NASHVILLE, Tenn. (April 19, 2005) - Whether it’s along the side of a congested highway, or late at night on a lonely rain-soaked country road, not many situations cause a driver more concern than being stranded with a flat tire. The thought of leaving the safety of a vehicle when stranded in a hazardous or threatening area usually leaves drivers wishing for a better solution. Bridgestone® brand Run-Flat tires can help make these fears a thing of the past.

Bridgestone Run-Flat Tire Technology offers a sense of security by allowing drivers to travel up to 50 miles at 50 mph after a loss of air. Additionally, Run-Flat tires help drivers maintain control when a tire suddenly loses air. For the consumer this is true peace of mind.

Bridgestone Firestone, teaming up with the Rubber Manufacturers Association during National Tire Safety Week (April 24-30), continues to show dedication to promoting car care awareness and tire safety. The Bridgestone Run-Flat tire is one of the many products offered by Bridgestone which are designed to provide confident and safe mobility across the globe.

As an original equipment supplier, Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company, is a market leader in the industry in supplying these innovative and safety-enhancing Run-Flat tires for a variety of applications. In fact, the company was the first to introduce Run-Flat Winter Tires with its introduction of the Bridgestone Blizzak Run-Flat for the Lexus SC430 and the Toyota Sienna.

Bridgestone-brand Run-Flat Tire Technology employs a reinforced sidewall to maintain the tire shape and temporarily carry the weight of the vehicle in the event of a sudden loss of air pressure.

Bridgestone Corporation introduced its Run-Flat Tire Technology in 1987 as a specifically designed fitment for the Porsche 959. The critical and commercial praise accompanying this breakthrough gave birth to a whole new generation of Bridgestone Run-Flat tires that have emerged as standard original equipment on a broad range of vehicles.

With more than one million Run-Flat tires shipped, the Bridgestone Corporation is one of the leading Run-Flat tire suppliers to global automobile manufacturers. The Bridgestone-brand Run-Flat tire is repeatedly chosen by automakers not only because of its durability, but also because the tire, unlike some other Run-Flat concepts, is designed to be mounted on standard wheels and can be serviced with conventional tire changing equipment.

Additionally, consumers enjoying the benefits of Bridgestone-brand Run-Flat tires are supported by a network of nearly 3,600 retailers throughout the United States, each staffed with technicians trained and certified to service the company’s Run-Flat tires.

With the continuing refinement of Bridgestone’s Run-Flat technology, the tire is now positioned to provide its benefits to both high-performance luxury vehicles as well as more mainstream vehicles including the Toyota Sienna, which was fitted with Bridgestone Run-Flat tires for the first time in late 2003.

“The minivan fitment which we supplied to meet the demands of Toyota for the 2004 Sienna AWD demonstrates that Run-Flat tires are not just for the performance car market anymore. As an innovator of this technology, we’re now putting our experience to work in making the benefits and convenience of Run-Flats available to a much broader consumer base,” said Michael Martini, president of North American Consumer Original Equipment division, Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, (BFNT) LLC. “Our Run-Flat Tire Technology is growing in acceptance among the original equipment manufacturers. In fact, Bridgestone has more original equipment Run-Flat fitments in North America than any other tire brand.”

As the Bridgestone-brand’s ever-increasing list of original equipment Run-Flat applications indicates, what was once considered a novelty is now becoming the norm. With the Toyota Sienna, Bridgestone registered another industry milestone by serving as one of the first suppliers of Run-Flat tires for a mass market vehicle.

Bridgestone-brand Run-Flat tires are based on a Self Supporting Run-Flat Tire (SSR) system. The SSR system employs a special rubber sidewall reinforcement that carries the weight of the vehicle and maintains the tire’s shape following deflation. Consumers feel so little difference when the tire loses air that a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) must be used with Run-Flat tires to notify the driver of an air loss.

Run-Flat tires offer drivers the opportunity to get to a safe location to change or repair a tire when necessary. The use of a run-flat tire also eliminates the need for a spare, freeing up extra space and reducing vehicle weight for better fuel efficiency.

Bridgestone-brand Run-Flat tires are available as original equipment on a wide variety of vehicles:

During month of April, the automotive aftermarket industry celebrates National Car Care Month, when it focuses on building consumer car care awareness. The Car Care Council spearheads the effort though a consumer education campaign, “Be Car Care Aware,” which promotes the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.

In addition, The Rubber Manufacturers Association highlights tire maintenance and awareness issues during National Tire Safety Week, April 24-30, 2005. More than 10,000 tire and auto service outlets participate in the RMAs initiative through the distribution of educational brochures and other efforts to promote tire and auto safety. Bridgestone Firestone participates in efforts through its retailers and its web site www.tiresafety.com.