Did you know car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens in America?

The worst part? Many of these accidents are entirely preventable. Michelin, one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers, reports that 12 percent of crashes among inexperienced drivers are tire-related, involving issues such as insufficient tread or pressure. This is why Florida has become a part of Michelin’s Beyond the Driving Test campaign to teach teen drivers about car and tire safety.

What is Beyond the Driving Test?

The goal of the campaign is to help teen drivers understand the importance of caring about tire safety by getting states to include tire safety precautions in the education curriculum for beginning drivers.

The company hopes that by bringing tire safety to the forefront of drivers’ minds — not just buried inside an unread driving manual — it can help prevent a significant number of teen deaths every year. 

Michelin is attempting to educate more parents on teens on the importance of tire safety by advocating for all 50 states to include comprehensive tire safety information in their driver’s education curriculum by 2020 (50 by 2020).

As the company explains:

It’s not enough for driver’s education manuals to only make reference to tires. Instead, each state is encouraged to go beyond just mentioning tires in their curriculum by providing “how-to” information regarding how to check tire pressure and how to check tread depth and teaching new drivers this important, potentially life-saving information.

So far, 17 states in the U.S. have committed to the 50 by 2020 campaign and have agreed to change their driver’s education curricula to include important comprehensive tire safety information.

This is especially important in our state as we have the third highest amount of licensed drivers in the nation. 

How will it help? 

The fact is learning property car safety tips can save millions of lives. And Michelin is committed to bringing tire safety to the forefront of drivers’ minds.

Aside from just checking tire pressure and tire tread though, they also offer a few other simple tips that can keep drivers safe while on the road:

  • Check your brake lights

Turn on your car, press the brake pedal and have a friend or family member check to see if both brake lights illuminate. If a bulb or fuse appears to be out, make sure to change it immediately

  • Check your wipers

Replace your windshield wipers at least once a year if you live in a sunny or cold region, and twice a year if you live in a dry or dusty region.

  • Keep your fluids filled

Replacing your oil and ensuring your coolant is full will help keep your car running smooth and prevent overheating.

Spreading awareness of tire-safety — and general safe driving tips — is an important goal to keep teens and inexperienced drivers safe on the road. It also helps keep other drivers safe as well.

Unfortunately, even the safest drivers can be involved in accidents. Fortunately, if your accident was the result of a negligent driver, you may be eligible to recover compensation. For help filing a claim, contact Montero Law Center today to schedule a free consultation: 954-767-6500.