Several states are expected to consider legislation banning the sale of unsafe used tyres. The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), the national trade association for tyres manufacturers supports the efforts to rid the roadways of dangerous safety risks. RMA says that businesses should not be permitted to sell tyres that are worn out, damaged or exhibit other unsafe conditions.
RMA successfully advocated unsafe used tyres legislation in Colorado last year. This year, RMA expects Indiana, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas to consider bans on unsafe used tyres sales.
“Safety is the highest priority for the tyres industry,” said Dan Zielinski, RMA senior vice president.
“Laws to stop the sale of worn out, damaged used tyres will help improve highway and motorist safety, “he added.
To demonstrate the problem and availability of unsafe used tyres, RMA and its members purchased several examples of unsafe used tyres. Each tyres exhibited one or more conditions that are clearly unsafe: worn out, visible damage to the tread or other portions of a tyres or; improperly repaired. “Any used tyres is a risky proposition since it’s impossible to know the service history of a tyres used by someone else,” Zielinski said. “But when used tyres are sold worn-out, damaged, improperly repaired or have other visibly unsafe conditions, states to need to take action to protect consumers.” Tyres worn to 2/32nds of an inch are considered bald and are dangerous. Such tyres no longer provide sufficient grip on the road, particularly under wet conditions. Tyres with damage exposing steel belts or other internal components threaten a tyres’ structural integrity. Improperly repaired tyres can suffer loss of inflation pressure or have hidden damage that may contribute to tyres failure. Tyres with bulges indicate possible internal damage that can lead to tread separation. Scrap tyres data analyzed by RMA suggests that 30-35 million used tyres are available for sale every year. A motorist survey sponsored by RMA found that nearly 1 in 10 motorists said their car is currently riding on tyres that were bought used. “We are working to educate policymakers and consumers about the dangers of unsafe used tyres and we will advocate for state laws to prohibit the sale of used tyres that pose a safety risk,” Zielinski said. “Used tyres may seem like a bargain but saving a few dollars isn’t worth risking the safety of motorists and passengers.