LACK OF HIGHWAY CODE KNOWLEDGE IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK

A poor understanding of The Highway Code is compromising road safety, a new survey has revealed.

Results from the poll of 5,000 motorists showed a large percentage failed to correctly answer a number of general knowledge and picture questions covering The Highway Code.

The survey, commissioned by leading tyre manufacturer Goodyear, showed that 54% of drivers did not know to stop when a traffic light shone its red and amber lights together. 48% of those surveyed also didn’t know that the typical stopping distance for a car driving at 50mph is 53 metres or 13 car lengths. Nearly a fifth thought they could get away with 36 metres.

When asked what the no-overtaking road sign meant, a worrying 23% got it wrong and over 75% assumed that the 30mph minimum speed sign actually indicated the maximum speed allowed. However, while the results showed many drivers were out of touch with the road rules, 95% are under the illusion that their understanding of The Highway Code is either adequate or good and over 40% don’t believe that drivers should be re-tested.

“Understanding the rules of The Highway Code can significantly reduce road accidents,” said Eddy Geerdink, Goodyear’s marketing director. “Our survey shows that a number of drivers would fail their driving test based on this knowledge and at worst it could put the lives of fellow drivers at risk if they wrongly interpreted them in real motoring situations.”

Goodyear announces the survey results as it welcomes back the Goodyear Blimp to the skies of Europe. The campaign, entitled ‘The Goodyear Safety Tour’, will tour 20 European countries to highlight the work of the tyre firm in improving road safety.

“At Goodyear, we firmly believe that safety is a shared responsibility,” continued Eddy. “Through this commitment we look forward to sharing the results of this survey with the UK population by using the Goodyear Blimp to underline the importance of road safety.”

For more information visit www.goodyearblimp.co.uk.

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Notes to editors

The research for Goodyear was carried out by OnePoll in February 2011 amongst a panel of motorists resulting in 5,000 respondents.

Picture caption: left to right, Eddy Geerdink (Goodyear UK marketing director), Kate Rock (Goodyear pr support manager) and Ron Pike (Goodyear channel marketing and events manager).

THE GOODYEAR BLIMP TAKES TO THE SKIES TO PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY

Goodyear welcomes the return of its aerial safety ambassador as the global tyre giant starts its 2011 Goodyear Safety Tour.

The Goodyear Blimp, which has been absent from the skies for 12 years in Europe, will lead on a number of road safety initiatives as it flies across the UK throughout March and April.

Goodyear will launch its first safety initiative to show how a poor understanding of The Highway Code is compromising road safety. In a survey questioning 5,000 motorists, results showed that a large percentage failed to correctly answer a number of general knowledge and picture questions covering basic road rules.

These shocking statistics have highlighted the importance of road safety and Goodyear will raise the awareness of these pitfalls with the help of the Blimp.

The tyre firm will also produce a book of best practice, which will see Goodyear work with primary and secondary schools to see how they teach and practice road safety.

Goodyear’s UK marketing director Eddy Geerdink said: “We have a number of initiatives in place that will support our road safety campaigns and drive home the fact that people’s understanding of road safety needs to be improved.”

Over the last decade, Goodyear Blimps have been ‘on tour’ in the USA and China, but this tour marks the first European tour since 1999. Between March and October, the Goodyear Blimp will visit a total of 20 countries.

For further information visit www.goodyear.co.uk or www.goodyearblimp.co.uk

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CONNECT PR FLIES AWAY WITH GOODYEAR'S BLIMP CAMPAIGN

Goodyear has appointed Connect PR to handle all UK media relations around the return of its famous brand icon, The Goodyear Blimp.

Connect PR has worked with Goodyear since January 2010 handling PR campaigns around products and safety. This latest appointment will see the agency turn its attention to the giant airship which will fly across the UK in March and April and then again in October 2011.

Absent from the UK for 12 years, the Midlands agency will take the lead in organising a number of consumer focused initiatives as the Blimp embarks on a European safety tour to promote road safety.

Connect PR will also host a number of press events in major UK cities to drive awareness of Goodyear’s ‘Safety Together’ brand campaign, aided throughout by the company’s world recognised airship.

Eddy Geerdink, Goodyear’s marketing director, said of the return of The Blimp: “This is a really exciting time for Goodyear. We are committed to increasing our brand awareness through the airship. The campaign will also see us working with Sky Sports who will use the Blimp as a camera platform, which will be integrated into a number of Premier League and international football fixtures.”

Hazel Crawford-Upton, managing director of Connect PR, said: “Working with Goodyear and promoting the arrival of the company’s brand icon is a real privilege for us and we are looking forward to delivering some fantastic PR driven results for Goodyear this year.”

For further information visit www.goodyear.co.uk or www.goodyearblimp.co.uk

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MOTORISTS WARNED TO TREAD CAREFULLY THIS WINTER

As the UK braces itself for more treacherous driving conditions this winter, motorists remain unsure whether or not to equip cold weather tyres.

According to research carried out by leading tyre manufacturer Goodyear, 71% said they would have trouble telling one type of tyre from another without assistance, 26% believe it’s safe to drive with summer tyres as long as the roads have less than 10cm of snow on them and 29% feel the sale of cold weather tyres is simply a marketing gimmick.

The survey amongst 500 drivers suggested that widely-held misunderstandings about tyres, particularly the role of cold weather tyres, still threatened road safety.

“Road Safety is a major concern, and the confusion surrounding cold weather tyres needs to be resolved in order to make motoring safer,” said James Bailey, corporate communications manager for Goodyear Dunlop.

“When nearly a third of drivers think it is OK to drive on snow with summer tyres if you’re careful, that’s a serious safety hazard. We have to increase people’s awareness, not just on winter tyres, but about how the right tyres for the right conditions can contribute to road safety generally.”

Goodyear’s award winning UltraGrip 7+ cold weather tyre delivers unparalleled control in hazardous winter conditions. Voted best cold weather tyre by weekly car magazine Auto Express, the tyre was tested and proven to stop six car lengths shorter than a conventional tyre on snow. The tyre was also a remarkable performer in the wet as well. In two tests that measured aquaplaning, the tyre dominated with a score 18% higher than a rival all-season tyre in the type of road conditions that the UK experiences every season.

For further information and tips on how to stay safe this winter, visit www.goodyear.co.uk.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Survey Methodology

• The study was carried out by APCO Insight on behalf of “Goodyear Dunlop Europe” to better understand licensed drivers’ road safety awareness, beliefs and practices.
• Fieldwork was carried out from 31 August to 9 September 2010.
• Respondents had to: Have a valid driver’s license, be older than 18, and be an active driver (drive more than 1km per year).

About Goodyear Dunlop

• Goodyear has 111 years’ worth of experience in developing a vital part of any vehicle - the tyre. We believe that we have a responsibility be involved in the tyre safety debate, and we want to contribute to safer mobility.
• Goodyear Dunlop is a signatory to The European Road Safety Charter (ERSC).
• Goodyear Dunlop supported the idea of an EU Tyre Label that makes it easier for consumers to judge tyre performance from an environmental and safety perspective.
• Goodyear Dunlop has supported the mandatory introduction of the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System – an electronic system designed to monitor the air pressure inside a tyre – in all new passenger cars from 2012, and all cars from 2014.
• Goodyear Dunlop also supports the idea of member states bringing in laws around winter tyres to improve road safety in winter conditions.
• Goodyear Dunlop is engaging with stakeholders to demonstrate the importance of road safety.
• Goodyear Dunlop commissioned the Goodyear Road Safety Survey 2010, in order to raise awareness of the importance of basic tyre maintenance.

News release issued on behalf of Goodyear by Connect PR

For further information call Lee Southen on 01902 714 957 or email lee@connect-group.com