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BOULOGNE-BILLANCOURT/CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France—As part of their mobilization around World Sight Day 2019, Michelin and Essilor are launching a joint, two-year program to raise public awareness about the importance of good vision on the road as well as good, functional tires that are reliable up to the wear indicator. Poor vision and tiers in poor condition are two main risk factors for road safety. Ninety percent of the information needed on the road comes from our eyes, and yet it is estimated that one out of five drivers in the world suffers from uncorrected poor vision, usually due to a lack of awareness or to limited access to vision care, according to Michelin and Essilor.

In parallel, around one in two cars are driven with under-inflated tires and around one in ten cars are driven with tires that are beyond the wear limit, which can lead to punctures or accidents, the companies said. Because of this, Michelin and Essilor plan to increase awareness campaigns on a global and country scale, through eye screenings and tire check-ups for employees, customers and the public at large. The companies will also provide services to facilitate access to the appropriate equipment to consumers, through the leveraging of both Michelin’s and Essilor’s respective expertise.

“Tires and vision are two essential factors for the safety of drivers to which Michelin and Essilor are strongly committed: we have decided to formalize our common engagement for road safety through a long-term collaboration agreement,” said Eric Le Corre, corporate vice-president public affairs at Michelin. “This engagement for safer mobility addresses both the action for the employees of the company and more widely, all drivers. Our action with Essilor will also allow us to highlight the importance of vision for our training for drivers,” added Nicolas Beaumont, senior vice president sustainable development and mobility at Michelin.

“We believe that this partnership between two renowned and engaged leaders like Michelin and Essilor creates a unique opportunity to improve people’s vision and safety on the road. The communication is simple, but powerful: get ready before hitting the road by checking your vision and checking your tires. Yet, there is a lack of public awareness and too few policies on the importance of vision on the road. The support of Michelin is a hallmark and we are very excited about the potential of this collaboration and how it will benefit people” concluded Laurent Vacherot, chief executive officer, Essilor International.