AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT) announced today that its fleet of blimps will exclusively carry messaging on Sept. 19 devoted to It Can Wait , a national education and awareness campaign encouraging people never to text while driving. The exclusive run will coincide with the It Can Wait movement's Drive 4 Pledges Day. The blimps typically carry messaging on their lighted signs related to Goodyear products, charitable programs, public service announcements and road safety education.

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The messaging to be carried on the blimps is intended to increase attention for the It Can Wait campaign, which has inspired more than 2.5 million pledges never to text and drive since its inception in August 2012. To take the pledge and get more information, visit www.ItCanWait.com. 

On Pledge Day, Goodyear is also engaging its associates in making the pledge to refrain from texting and driving. Anti-texting and driving messages will be shared throughout the day and associates will receive informational fliers with pledge instructions as they walk to their vehicles at the end of the day. Goodyear's safety policy has prohibited texting while driving in company-owned vehicles since 2010.

"Goodyear is joining the pledge campaign to increase attention around the significant risks associated with texting while driving," said Paul Fitzhenry, Goodyear's senior vice president, global communications. "'It Can Wait' conveys a simple but powerful message and aligns with Goodyear's priority to promote safety on our roads through programs that increase safety awareness and encourage safe behaviors." 

Beginning in May, Goodyear blimps started carrying the It Can Wait messaging over major events such as the NBA Finals, U.S. Open golf, NASCAR Sprint Cup races, the X Games, multiple Major League Baseball contests and college football games exposing the message to hundreds of thousands.

"This year It Can Wait has maintained focus and gained momentum by aligning with hundreds of like-minded supporters- bringing a simple message- It Can Wait- no text is worth a life," said Michelle Kuckelman, executive director of brand management for AT&T, one of four national cell phone carriers involved in It Can Wait. "Support from advocates like Goodyear is key to raising awareness of this dangerous behavior," she added.

The three blimps, based in Akron, Ohio; Pompano Beach, Fla., and Carson, Calif., travel on average a combined 50,000 miles a year and will display messages to millions of people over a wide variety of public appearances.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 69,000 people and manufactures its products in 52 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.  

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company