FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Motorist Assurance Program (MAP) has announced its sponsorship of the fifth annual Brake Safety Awareness Week, which takes place Aug. 20-28.
During Brake Safety Awareness Week, more than 9,000 MAP Participating Facilities will offer inspections and educate vehicle owners regarding key undercar systems as well as provide complimentary automotive troubleshooting materials and answer consumers’ preventative maintenance questions. Consumers can look for a repair facility prominently displaying its “Motorist Assurance Program” decal near its entrance or customer waiting area, or they can find participating stores in a particular area by visiting the MAP website.
Each installment of Brake Safety Awareness Week has brought increased participation by consumers, according to MAP. During the 2010 event, the average participating facility performed repairs on more than 50 percent of the vehicles inspected.
New for the 2011 Brake Safety Awareness Week are point of sale promotional materials, including a poster that can be displayed in participating facilities and an information sheet titled “Brake Time,” which helps to educate consumers on the benefits of a brake inspection.
“For very obvious reasons, it’s important to make sure your brake system is working correctly and that all system components still have plenty of service life to ensure trouble-free performance,” said MAP President Barry Soltz. “Many vehicles require service that the average person wouldn’t be able to detect from daily driving, making it even more critical to perform periodic safety inspections. Plus, it’s important to know what to look out for when it comes to brake components and other undercar parts that periodically wear out.”
Throughout this event, MAP, the consumer outreach effort of the Automotive Maintenance and Repair Association (AMRA), urges consumers to stop at any MAP participating repair shop for a brake and related undercar inspection.
A non-profit program created by concerned automotive business owners, manufacturers and associations, MAP requires all of its Participating Facilities to adhere to a strict set of fact-based vehicle inspection and communication standards. MAP establishes criteria not only for recommending replacement of worn parts and other products, but also how these recommendations are communicated to the vehicle owner.
MAP also offers tips for choosing and working with qualified repair providers, a list of participating MAP shops, repair and replacement recommendations look-up for vehicle components and more at www.motorist.org.
