The crash was a horrible and tragic event and we have the deepest sympathy for the families and loved ones of the victims. However, this accident had nothing to do with the design or safety of Cooper tires.  The tire line involved has an excellent record of performance and we look forward to defending our product.

When consumers buy a Cooper tire, they are choosing a safe, reliable and quality-engineered product. With more than 300 million Cooper tires on the road, safety is essential to our business and a continuing priority of our ongoing research and development efforts. Of course, tires aren't indestructible and Cooper Tire takes every opportunity to remind drivers that they must be taken care of, properly inflated and replaced when they are worn.

We know the following regarding this accident:

• The driver, who was 15 years old at the time of the crash, is being prosecuted for the accident.

• The vehicle was a five passenger vehicle -- it had five seat belts.  However, there were nine occupants in the vehicle, including three unrestrained in the cargo area.

• Only the driver was belted.  All others were unbelted and were ejected from the vehicle.

Cooper would also like to remind people that it is important to properly maintain their tires to ensure safer vehicles and safer roads. According to the RMA, the four essential elements of tire care and maintenance include:

1. Checking tire inflation pressure at least once a month and prior to long trips
2. Periodic wheel alignment
3. Tire rotation every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
4. Regularly checking tire tread depth (should be at least 1/16 of an inch)