FINDLAY, Ohio -- (Business Wire)

According to a new survey – “Miles with Mom”– time in the car is a frequent opportunity for modern families to connect. The national survey of more than 2,400 respondents indicated that 55 percent of moms are in their vehicle with their children multiple times per day, and the majority of families drive to all or most of their overnight trips. It’s not surprising to learn that “car time” is on the rise with American households as a popular occasion for family togetherness, teachable moments and uninterrupted conversation.

Celebrating “Miles with Mom” this Mother’s Day, Cooper Tire polled mothers nationwide on their families’ personal recipe for quality time. The “Miles with Mom” survey uncovered the following statistics:

• The majority of respondents have school-aged children (five to 10 years old) in their household; the second most popular range was high schoolers (14 – 18 years old).
• While the majority of moms (57 percent) eat dinner with their families four to seven nights per week, 74 percent feel dinnertime is slightly declining as the best opportunity for family togetherness, due to busy schedules and extra-curricular activities.
• “Car time” is on the rise, with more than half of respondents – 55 percent – sharing drives with their children more than once per day.
• Within the past year, 51 percent of families have driven to “all” or “most” of their overnight trips.

Additionally, the “Miles with Mom” survey asked families to share cherished moments in the car with their children. Results poured in, proving as families hit the road more, lifelong memories are only a car ride away.

Carol Mendoza of Little Rock, Miss., recalls, “My favorite time in the car with my daughter was when we dared to drive to Illinois by ourselves. No navigation system, just our clothes, a few bucks and our pride. We laughed constantly…she had drawn smiley faces on the bottom of her toes and would wave them at truck drivers going by us. We made that trip from Mississippi to Illinois in 14 hours, but they were the best 14 hours of my life with her in the car.”

Storytelling ranged from once-in-a-lifetime road trips, to daily drives etched into mother’s minds, including the first ride home with a newborn, a Saturday search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, first sentences spoken, arriving to a new military base, and amusingly teachable moments, as Sharon Shope of Rome, Ga., experienced.

“Myself and my two daughters were just hopping around town, shopping, eating, browsing...there was this man in front of me going so slow, it was illegal. I said out loud, ‘Come on, Grandpa!’ I passed the man and both of my daughters said, ‘Look, Mom, it is Grandpa!’ They waved and we had a good laugh…they still remember that.”

“Mothers carry precious cargo in their vehicles,” says Cooper Tire Director of Consumer and Channel Marketing, Julie Smalstig. “Cooper Tire values quality products and proper tire safety education, to help ensure every families’ journey is safe – whether a trip to the grocery store, or a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Every moment in the car with children is precious; we want to pause for a moment this Mother’s Day to share those memories and reconnect.”

Proper tire maintenance is crucial for keeping “car time” safe, especially for Mom’s precious cargo. Cooper Tire recommends a simple monthly tire maintenance routine every parent should know at www.CooperTire.com. For more “Miles with Mom” tales, visit www.Scholastic.com/MilesWithMom or share your story on Cooper Tire’s Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CooperTire.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company (Cooper) is dedicated to keeping drivers safe on all of life’s road trips, with tires designed and built with great care, providing thousand of miles of excellent service. Cooper is the parent company of a global family of companies that specialize in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sales of passenger car and light truck tires. Cooper has joint ventures, affiliates and subsidiaries that also specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper's headquarters is in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies, located in 11 countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire, www.twitter.com/coopertire.

Contacts:

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Michelle Rehbein, 419-424-4251
mrrehbein@coopertire.com

Source: Cooper Tire & Rubber Company