Premium tiremaker, Hankook Tire, was the recipient of the Tire Manufacturer Award at the annual TyreSafe Awards, held at St. George’s Park in Staffordshire, U.K. The awards recognized the achievements of individuals and businesses who have implemented public tire safety awareness initiatives.

Hankook Tire UK was presented with the highly sought-after award, which recognized the tiremaker’s “Tire Safety Matters” campaign that raises awareness and educates U.K. drivers on the importance of tire safety. The campaign’s research revealed four out of five drivers don’t know the legal minimum depth of tire tread and 1 in 10 Brits ignore their tires completely. The study also showed that 45% of young drivers would consider purchasing part-worn tires despite not knowing their history or its comparison to the safety of new tires. Through national and local articles, competitions and social media coverage, the message reached more than 6 million people in the U.K.

“Competition among the entries this year was particularly fierce with scoring consistently close. Appropriately enough, the winner achieved the highest score of any, across all categories this year,” said Stuart Lovatt, the Strategic Road Safety Lead of Highways England. “Hankook presented a detailed campaign with results and evidence of large impact and great commitment; the worrying survey results are something on which we should all build on.”  

“We are delighted to have won this coveted award, and it is an honor to be recognized for all the hard work that went into the campaign,” said Zoe Baldwin, marketing manager of Hankook Tire U.K. “We will continue to raise awareness of the importance of correct tire maintenance and the dangers to motorists of defective and illegal tires.”