The Cooper Tire & Rubber Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cooper Tire, announced a new partnership with the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) to promote driver and tire safety among teens and young adults, ages 15 to 25.
At the center of the “Tread Wisely” campaign is a tire character who delivers important safety information with a dose of humor and a positive, proactive approach designed to appeal to teens and young adults.
The “Tread Wisely” program will involve young people in the process of educating and motivating their peers to take important safety measures. Such efforts are a centerpiece for NOYS, which is a nonprofit organization with a mission to build partnerships that save lives, prevent injuries and promote safe lifestyles among youth while encouraging empowerment and leadership.
“Insulated by tons of metal and glass, it’s easy for young drivers to feel invincible behind the wheel,” said Cooper Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Roy Armes. “Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death for teens and young adults worldwide, and this must change. When it comes to preventing car crashes, we must share with young people that what you know about tires and how you treat them is just as important as how your tires are made. We’re telling young drivers that no matter where they are headed or who they are with, when everyone approaches safe driving from the tires on up, the roads will be safer for all of us,” he concluded.
In its initial stages, “Tread Wisely” will focus primarily on three key activities:
- Development and launch of an app targeted to deliver information and utility programs related to tire and driver safety to young people. The app is in development and is expected to be launched within the 2016-2017 school year. It will be made available in English and Spanish.
- Youth activation and Cooper employee volunteer efforts to be held at high schools and other venues will involve young people in promoting three tire safety basics: checking inflation pressure, assessing tread depth and checking the overall condition of tires. Challenges will engage youth in competitions to creatively encourage peer-to-peer education surrounding messages about taking responsibility for personal safety as well as the safety of others.
- A Tire and Driver Safety Pavilion sponsored by Cooper will be a focal point of the NOYS Interactive Lab to be held in Washington, D.C. as a kickoff for National Teen Driver Safety Week, which begins Oct. 17. The event offers high school students a unique, hands-on opportunity to learn about a variety of safety topics, including tire and driver safety, distracted driving prevention, and sharing the road with commercial vehicles, among others. The students take what they’ve learned back to their peers, a process that will involve Cooper employee volunteers for support on site at schools.
More information is available at www.TreadWisely.org. Follow “Tread Wisely” on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter atwww.facebook.com/treadwisely1, www.instagram.com/treadwisely1 and www.twitter.com/treadwisely1.
Anllelic Lozada “Angie” is a proud P.A.N.K (professional aunt with no kids), a Personal Marketing Strategist in NYC and Los Tweens & Teens “Tia-in-Charge,” based in New York City. Anllelic wants you to best your best life so you can positively influence your tween and teen. Subscribe to her weekly e-newsletter in Spanish in marketingparatucarrera.com/Vendete, where she shares personal marketing strategies to help you “Comunicar lo genial que eres.”