News Release

Nationwide survey reveals drivers are ill prepared for inclement weather

Groundhog Day to Serve as Annual Safety Reminders for Drivers

Houston, TX – When was the last time you changed your wiper blades? According to a recent survey commissioned by Rain-X®, one out of every three drivers on the road today fail to change their blades according to the National Safety Council’s recommended frequency of once a year. In fact, 78 percent of motorists only change their wiper blades after the blades themselves begin to impair their visibility and have become a safety hazard.

In an effort to alert drivers to the importance of proper driving visibility, the National Safety Council and Rain-X are once again teaming up this Groundhog Day for the 2nd Annual ‘Seemore Safety Campaign.’ On February 2nd, the iconic symbol of the campaign – Seemore the Safety Groundhog – will emerge from his den to spread his message of safety and remind motorists to change their wiper blades annually.

“The data found in this recent survey shows that many drivers may be placing themselves in unnecessary danger when getting behind the wheel of their vehicle,” says John Ulczycki, the National Safety Council’s Director of Transportation Safety. “During the winter months, when inclement weather is more prevalent, it is vital that motorists take every precaution possible to properly prepare themselves for adverse weather conditions.”

The survey, conducted by Directive Analytics, further revealed that more than 70 percent of drivers check their local weather once a day and almost one third of the participants consider themselves to be “weather obsessed,” admittedly checking the forecast multiple times each day.

Concern for the weather prompted motorists to stock their vehicles with items to help them deal with inclement weather. In fact, according to the survey, 60 percent of people keep an umbrella in their car rain or shine, and the average person has at least three essential poor weather items in their vehicle at all times. The most common items included an ice scraper (71 percent), a flashlight (63 percent), gloves or a hat (48 percent), a blanket (45 percent) and bottled water (27 percent).

“Unfortunately, most drivers tend to consider their wiper blades a service replacement item, when in reality they are a vital component of a car’s safety features,” said Chris Hayek, Group Manager, Rain-X. “In most cases, wiper blades are not difficult to replace and for those not certain, major auto retailers offer free blade installation. We hope that the second year of the Seemore Safety campaign will remind drivers to replace their wipers at least once a year as part of their overall safe driving habits.”

Interestingly, most survey respondents predict that the groundhog will see his shadow this year, providing us with an additional six weeks of winter weather. Almost a quarter of the drivers surveyed actually believe the groundhog’s prediction is more reliable than that of their local weatherman.

For additional information on automotive safety or wiper blades please visit the National Safety Council at www.nsc.org and Rain-X at www.rainx.com.

The National Safety Council is a nonprofit, nongovernmental, international public service organization dedicated to protecting life and promoting health. Members of the NSC include more than 47,000 businesses, labor organization, schools, public agencies, private groups and individuals. Founded in 1913, and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1953, the primary focus of the NSC is preventing injuries in the workplace, on roads and highways, and in homes and communities.

Rain-X products are produced and marketed by Shell Lubricants. The term ‘Shell Lubricants’ collectively refers to the companies of the Shell Group engaged in the lubricants business. Shell lubricants companies are global leaders in lubricants and operate in approximately 120 countries worldwide. They manufacture and blend products for use in a range of applications from consumer motoring to food processing and heavy industry to commercial transport. The Shell portfolio of top quality lubricant brands includes Pennzoil®, Quaker State®, FormulaShell®, Shell Tellus®, Shell Cassida®, Shell ROTELLA® T, Shell Spirax® and a portfolio of car care products and Jiffy Lube® services.