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Aged Tire Accidents

Tires have a life span of roughly six years.  A recent news report found that many retail stores are selling old stock tires as new tires.  Despite looking new, the rubber on these tires often is dried out, making them susceptible to blowouts and tread separation.  Testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”) proves that older tires increase the chance of tread separation. The result can be catastrophic. 

Currently, there are no laws in the United States that restrict or prohibit the sale of aged tires.  While some states have inspection laws with respect to tires, they test only for tread wear and inflation levels.  Thus, retailers are able to sell tires that are more than six years old.  Many times retailers are selling tires that are actually more than ten years old.

Tire manufacturers have knowledge of the safety concerns regarding aged tires.  Most, however, have failed to provide consumers with warnings regarding the safety concerns associated with aged tires.  Moreover, tire manufactures do not make it easy for consumers to determine the actual age of a tire, which is hidden in a long code.  To figure out a tire’s age, look for a long strand of numbers, beginning with “DOT,” on the wall of the tire.  The last four numbers in the code signify the week and year the tire was manufactured.  For example, if the last four numbers are 4509, then the tire was made in the forty-fifth week of 2009.

If you or someone you know is injured in an accident caused by aged tires,  Contact theWolf Law today for a free consultation.