May 20, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Regulating the Sale of Old Tires
Article provided by Harris Penn & Lowry, LLP
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When purchasing new tires for your vehicle, you wouldn't think it would be necessary to question whether the tires were actually new. A number of undercover reports, however, have revealed that tire sellers -- large and small retailers alike -- have been selling tires that are, at times, more than a decade old.
Purchasing old tires can have real consequences for consumers. Tires do not have an unlimited shelf life. The longer tires sit unused, the more likely they are to dry out, lose their tread and start breaking down. Even more worrisome, these signs of degradation are usually not visible simply by looking at the tire. Unsuspecting buyers may purchase tires that appear to be in pristine condition, but in fact may be dangerously old.
Tires that are more than six years old are more susceptible to tread separation and blowouts, which can cause drivers to lose control. It is estimated that accidents caused by old tires have resulted in more than 100 deaths across the country.
Buyer Beware
Each tire that is manufactured is given a 12-digit DOT serial number, indicating when the tire was made, among other things. This number is imprinted on the tire's sidewall. The last cluster of numbers -- either a group of 3 or 4 -- indicates the week and year the tire was manufactured. For example, if the last three digits are 429, it means the tire was manufactured the 42nd week of 1999. If the last four digits are 1405, it means the tire was manufactured the 14th week of 2005. You should always check the date tires were manufactured before purchasing them; be wary of purchasing tires that were manufactured more than six years ago.
A 2008 report by ABC News found that three of the nation's top tire sellers -- Wal-Mart, Sears and Goodyear -- had tires on their shelves older than six years that they were attempting to sell as "new." Currently, no federal law prevents retailers from selling old tires, and only a few states have taken steps to curb the measure.
Need for Regulation in Georgia
Companies that manufacture tires, such as Bridgestone/Firestone, Michelin and Continental, recommend that drivers not use tires that are 10 years and older on their vehicles. Some car manufacturers -- including Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, BMW and Audi/VW -- have warnined that drivers should not operate their vehicles with tires that are six years old or older, even if the tires have never been used before. Ford Motor Company has even asked the federal government to pass regulation mandating a six-year expiration date on tires.
But the US Rubber Manufacturers' Association continues to argue that there is no solid scientific data to support the claim that tires older than six years pose a danger to motorists -- despite the fact that Great Britain's equivalent association found there was persuasive supporting data.
Currently, there is no federal legal requirement that tires have an expiration date or carry a consumer warning about the use of tires six years or older. Rather than waiting for the federal government to act, some counties and states have begun passing their own laws against the sale of old tires. For example, in Suffolk County, New York, tire sellers may not sell tires six years or older and may be fined up to $500 for each violation if they do.
To date, Georgia has not passed similar legislation. Without regulation by the state legislature, consumers will continue to be left unprotected and susceptible to purchasing unsafe tires -- tires that could cause catastrophic accidents, leading to debilitating injuries and even death.
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