By SEMA Washington, D.C., Staff
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does not intend to issue a federal safety standard based on tire age. The agency announced its decision in a report entitled, “Tire Aging: A Summary of NHTSA’s Work.” The agency has been studying the issue for many years.
The NHTSA cited several primary factors for not pursuing a tire-aging safety standard. It noted that tires have become more robust in recent years as a result of increased performance mandates required under the Transportation Safety Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act of 2000. Recent crash data verify that these tires are performing better on the road. The NHTSA also credited mandatory tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) installed on newer vehicles as having helped alert motorists when tires are underinflated.
The NHTSA did note a continuing concern for tires in hot-weather states and spare tires that may be very old and may potentially be rotated into use. The NHTSA intends to discuss the topic through social media messages, fact sheets, infographics and other web content.
For more information, contact Stuart Gosswein at stuartg@sema.org.