Have you checked to see if your car has a spare tire? Many people are unaware that in 2014, car manufacturers started to eliminate spare tires and replace them with repair kits. The repair kits are difficult to use and only fix certain kinds of tire damage. I found this out the hard way when I hit a curb, blew out my tire, and realized my 2014 Kia Forte didn’t have a spare tire.

What would have usually been a 15-minute process turned into 3 hours. I was lucky I wasn’t in severe weather, trying to get somewhere important, or even worse, in the middle of an emergency.

Car companies have quietly made this change to save money, and to be able to say their car is more fuel efficient. In truth, the fuel efficiency is barely affected by this, and it costs drivers time and money when the repair kit can’t fix their tires’ damage. That’s why groups like the Automobile Association of America (AAA) have taken notice and are insisting that car manufacturers return to including spare tires. Not only do most of us assume this feature already comes with our car, it helps people get back on the road no matter what kind of tire damage they have, and it can be reused, unlike the repair kits.

Join me in calling on KIA to return to including spare tires in all of their models. The safety and convenience of their drivers is at stake. Their public commitment to returning to spare tire will bring attention to the issue and put pressure on other car manufacturers to do the same.