SACRAMENTO, Calif. /California Newswire/ — The California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) will celebrate National Car Care Month by hosting the first of a series of free family-friendly DriveHealthy events aimed at educating the public about the cost savings and environmental benefits of proper car maintenance. The event, which will be held on Saturday, April 25 at the Sunrise Mall, will kick off by Mayor James Shelby declaring April 25 “DriveHealthy Day in Citrus Heights.”
Visitors at the event will be treated to music, interactive games and prizes, educational displays, a bicycle giveaway, a children’s coloring activity as well as a number of exhibits of hybrid and low emissions vehicles provided by local dealerships. BAR representatives will also be on site to demonstrate simple vehicle maintenance tips, such as how to check tire pressure. These activities can help consumers extend the life of their vehicles as well as save money at the gas pump.
“The mission of the DriveHealthy campaign is to remind Californians of the importance of keeping up with their vehicle’s scheduled maintenance checks, which not only saves them money in the long run but also helps improve our state’s air quality by reducing vehicle emissions,” said BAR Chief Sherry Mehl. “These community events offer California consumers and their families an opportunity to become informed about the small steps each of us can take to reduce air pollution.”
Vehicle emissions contribute to several thousand tons of pollution per day in California and 50 percent of this pollution is produced by only 10 to 15 percent of the vehicles on our roads.
As the agency responsible for administering the Smog Check Program, BAR offers a number of programs to help consumers and in turn help make a difference in the air we breathe. For additional information on BAR and its DriveHealthy campaign, please visit www.DriveHealthy.com
Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR)
BAR, a division of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, is one of the state’s air quality champions. BAR is responsible for administering California’s Smog Check Program, which removes several tons of pollutants from our air. BAR also licenses and regulates more than 35,000 automotive repair dealers and 7,500 Smog Check stations in California. It also administers the Consumer Assistance Program, which offers consumers who own a vehicle that fails its biennial (every other year) Smog Check inspection up to $500 for emissions-related repairs or $1,000 to retire their vehicle.
About the DriveHealthy Campaign
DriveHealthy, a California Bureau of Automotive Repair clean air initiative, aims to reduce air pollutants in California through vehicle maintenance education. For additional maintenance tips, or for more details about the DriveHealthy campaign, please visit www.DriveHealthy.com. For further information about the Smog Check program, or to obtain information about retiring polluting vehicles or receiving state financial aid to repair vehicles that have failed Smog Check, call 1-800-952-5210 or visit www.smogcheck.ca.gov. Help is available in more than 170 languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Hmong, Tagalog and Russian.
