The summer driving season is fast approaching, and that means more young drivers will be on the roads than any other time of the year. If you are a parent, are you concerned about distracted driving or about your loved ones letting you know when they’ve arrived safely at their destination? We completely understand! That’s why we have teamed up with a dynamic duo, Johnny and Loni Unser, a father-daughter team of professional race cars drivers, to discuss driving and safety advice as well as the latest technology helping empower and educate young drivers.
There’s nothing more that we want as parents than to know that when our children hit the road, that they arrive safely to and from their destination. As a professional race car driver, Johnny Unser has more than enough experience behind the wheel.
Carrying on the family tradition of excellence by qualifying for the prestigious Indianapolis 500 for five consecutive years, Johnny has a long and accomplished career as a professional race car driver. From C.A.R.T. and the Indy Racing League, to winning the 12 Hours of Sebring, competing in the 24 hours of Daytona eight times and finishing second in the 24 hours of Le Mans, Johnny is a well-respected member of the racing community. As his daughter and many other young adults hit the road this summer his advice is: Tread Wisely.
There are four things that connect us to the road and that’s our tires. Small and seemingly insignificant most of the time, it’s that little patch of rubber that connects the driver to the road. Cooper Tire has developed an app for your phone called Tread Wisely. This little app is empowering teens, young adults, and all drivers to maintain and take care of their tires. Johnny, being a parent with a child on the road (and racing), is more at ease knowing that his daughter has the tools she needs should the unexpected arise with any problems when it comes to the conditions of her tires.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average:
- There are nearly 11,000 tire-related crashes every year.
- Drivers in the U.S. put more than 2,969 billion miles on their tires yearly.
- 1 in 4 cars have at least one tire that is significantly under-inflated.
When you are ready to hand over the keys to your young adult who is getting behind the wheel, are you thinking about the main connection of your vehicle on the road?
As Loni says, the app focuses on three main points: tread depth, tire pressure, and overall condition of your tires.
Loni is the daughter of Johnny Unser, who qualified for the Indy 500 in five consecutive years. Loni is an up and coming race car driver about to begin her professional racing career and follow in the footsteps of Al and Bobby Unser Sr., Jerry Unser Jr., Al Unser Jr., and Robby Unser. With so much family history in racing, expectations are high for the latest Unser to enter the world of professional racing, and the first thing she is looking at are her tire’s condition.
One of the neat things about the app are the videos available. There are two minute videos within the app, by fellow race car driver, Arie Luyendyk, Jr., who demonstrates common tire incidentals, like how to change a tire, how to check the pressure, how to check tread depth, the overall condition of the tires, and it even includes what to do if you are pulled over by police or if you are in an accident.
The How-To videos that are embedded in the app are shareable, fun, and easy to understand. As a parent, you’re already concerned about your child’s safety even though they may have a phone. There’s a great component to the app that allows the driver to set reminders to notify parents that “I Got There”, enabling parents and young drivers to stay in communication with each other.
It’s a common oversight to overlook the simple act of checking your tires, after all it’s what is connecting you to the road and getting you to your final destination.
Using the Tread Wise app will ensure parents that not only is your young driver prompted to take another look at the condition of their tires, but they are also reminded to stay in touch with you, giving you a bit of peace knowing your child is safe and their vehicle’s tires are operating in optimal condition.
Loni is an up and coming race car driver about to begin her professional racing career and follow in the footsteps of Al and Bobby Unser Sr., Jerry Unser Jr., Al Unser Jr., and Robby Unser. With so much family history in racing, expectations are high for the latest Unser to enter the world of professional racing.
Today, Johnny is sought after for his driving skills – he has served as a precision and stunt driver in commercials and movies – and automotive knowledge. If he’s looking at his tires, parents, young adults, and anyone on the road this summer better be too. Be sure to download and share the app today. Visit TreadWisely.org to learn more.
Watch the live interview here:
Photo credits: Johnny & Loni Unser, AndiL.
