Just in time for the summer driving season, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today announced the launch of a new Tread Wisely mobile app. Designed to promote tire and vehicle safety among teens and young adults, the first-of-its-kind app empowers young drivers by putting safety information, how-to videos and unique features directly into their hands when and where they need it most. Cooper created the app in partnership with the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS).

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170525005027/en/

Teen race car driver Loni Unser and her father Johnny Unser of the Unser racing dynasty are helping ...

Teen race car driver Loni Unser and her father Johnny Unser of the Unser racing dynasty are helping to raise awareness of driver safety for teens and young adults through the Tread Wisely program, an initiative of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company and the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS). The effort includes a new, free app that’s loaded with safety features such as how-to videos, tire safety check information and reminders, and a unique feature called “I Got There,” which helps young drivers remember to let their parents know when they’ve made it safely to their destination. (Photo: Business Wire)

The new Tread Wisely app is free and available for download from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android). It is full of useful tire and vehicle safety features, including:

  • A unique “I Got There” feature that represents a solution to the age-old problem of worried parents pleading with sometimes forgetful young drivers to let them know when they arrive safely at their destination. “I Got There” allows users to set a reminder to contact their parents or friends once they’ve arrived, and with just a couple of touches, sends a pre-written text to any number of recipients, letting loved ones know that young drivers have made it safely.
  • A series of easy how-to videos featuring race car driver Arie Luyendyk, Jr. on topics including how to change a flat tire, what to do if involved in an accident, what to do if pulled over by law enforcement, and more.
  • Reminders to complete monthly safety checks including proper tire inflation pressure, tread depth and overall tire condition.
  • Rewards for performing regular safety checks and learning about vehicle safety. Users can earn points by completing various tasks within the app and can attain ever-increasing ranks for the chance to win prizes such as gift cards that can be redeemed for gasoline, food or other items. Certain actions, such as sharing the app with family, friends and others, will also earn special badges for users.

“Tires are the only thing connecting vehicles to the road, and that’s why we are approaching driver safety from the tires up, hoping to make our roads safer for young people, their friends, families and the driving public,” said Anne Roman, Cooper’s Vice President of Communications & Public Affairs. “Tires are often overlooked, especially by young drivers, but are extremely important to road safety. That is why we have created this new mobile app. It puts a combination of tire safety information, easy how-to videos, automatic safety check reminders, and special features together in one place and directly into the hands of young drivers to use before and after they drive—not during. Plus, we’ve built-in an element of fun and competition where nearly every use of the app can help users earn points that make them eligible to win prizes. Importantly, the content on the app is shareable, so young drivers can help those they know and love be safer too,” she added.

According to Loni Unser, 19-year-old daughter of Johnny Unser of the legendary Unser racing family, and a rookie racer herself, the Tread Wisely app is long overdue. “Growing up around racing my entire life and now racing myself, I know how important tires are to safe, successful driving. In this way, I’ve been lucky, but most drivers my age haven’t experienced what I have, and they don’t really understand just how important tires are to their safety on the road. That’s why I am so proud to join with my dad as the official spokespersons for the new Tread Wisely app. Now young drivers have tire and vehicle safety information right on their phones and the information is presented in a fast, fun way. I use the app and can honestly say that ‘I Got There’ is genius for keeping peace in our family!”

The Tread Wisely app is part of a larger tire and vehicle safety program for young drivers developed in 2016 when Cooper adopted this as a signature philanthropy cause and selected NOYS as a partner in its efforts to educate and motivate young people to take necessary precautions and important safety measures when it comes to their tires and driving. In fact, the two organizations have teamed up to share life-saving messages about tire safety through Tread Wisely social media channels, the web, special youth-directed safety events, and on the ground in communities across the United States. Hundreds of Cooper employees have signed up to serve year-round as Tread Wisely volunteers, demonstrating tire safety in schools, at sporting events, churches and other venues, reaching young drivers in the communities where they live and work.

Anita Boles, Chief Executive Officer of NOYS, said that her organization and Cooper have recently expanded the grassroots power of the Tread Wisely program in a new way. “We have hand-selected a special team of Tread Wisely Youth Ambassadors from all over the nation who, among other duties, are charged with deploying a national Tread Wisely challenge to engage youth in tire safety strategies,” she said. “We expect to see great growth in the number of youth who know how to check their tires for safety and routinely perform these checks while also sharing this important information with their friends and family. This positive, proactive campaign approach with peer-to-peer education at its core represents great potential for prevention and improved road safety for our youth. We couldn’t be prouder to be a partner with Cooper in this effort.”

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: CTB) is the parent company of a global family of companies that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper's headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations within its family of companies located in more than one dozen countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.

About NOYS

NOYS was originally founded as the Traffic Safety Collaboration, and for its first 10 years was supported by funding from government agencies, including the Department of Transportation. In 2005, NOYS became a 501(c)(3) organization and incorporated as the National Organizations for Youth Safety, and has since grown to include over 80 national member organizations. NOYS continues to maintain a strong focus in traffic safety with support from government and business and industry, and has expanded to include other safety areas such as injury prevention, substance abuse prevention, and violence prevention.