House Committee Considers Measure to Protect Motorists

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 17, 2018 – An Indiana House committee today considered important consumer protection legislation to prohibit tire and automotive service businesses from installing unsafe used tires on vehicles.

Rep. Robert Morris (R-Fort Wayne), Chairman of the House Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development Committee, and the bill sponsor, heard supporting testimony from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA). The Tire Industry Association and AAA Hoosier Motor club also support the legislation, HB 1774.

“Enacting this legislation will protect Indiana motorists from risks posed by unsafe used tires,” said Courtney Titus Brooks, USTMA director, government relations. “This is a common-sense solution that specifically targets used tires with well-defined unsafe conditions.”

HB 1774 defines an unsafe used tire as worn-out, has visible damage or improper repairs.

Tires worn to 2/32nds of an inch are worn-out and dangerous because they no longer provide sufficient grip on the road, particularly under wet conditions. Damage that exposes steel belts or other internal components threatens a tire’s structural integrity. Improperly repaired tires can suffer loss of inflation pressure or have hidden damage that may contribute to tire failure. Tires with bulges indicate possible internal damage that can lead to tread separation.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that worn-out tires are three times more likely to be involved in a crash than tires with sufficient tread depth. NHTSA crash statistics indicate that about 200 fatalities and 6,000 injuries are attributed to tire-related causes annually. 

USTMA research shows that more than 30 million used tires are available for sale nationally each year. The Indiana legislation does not ban all used tires. It targets used tires that have specific, well-established, unsafe conditions.

“Requiring automotive service professionals to be appropriately accountable when they return used tires back to road service is a simple, reasonable measure to protect consumers,” Brooks said. “Consumers rely upon the advice and guidance of the business professionals who sell or install tires.

“While any used tire poses some risk, businesses should never subject consumers to tires with any of the conditions listed in this bill,” Brooks added.

USTMA expressed gratitude to Rep. Morris and the committee for considering HB 1774.

“We are grateful to Rep. Morris and the committee for quickly considering this legislation and urge members to pass it to protect consumers from the risk of unregulated, unsafe used tires,” Brooks said.

Indiana is one of 18 states with tire manufacturing. The tire manufacturing industry in Indiana generates $3.5 billion in economic output and supports more than 18,000 Indiana jobs including nearly 2,000 in manufacturing, according to a 2017 USTMA economic impact study.

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The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association is the national trade association for tire manufacturers that produce tires in the U.S.  USTMA members employ nearly 100,000 workers, operate 56 tire-related manufacturing facilities in 18 states and generate over $27 billion in annual sales. In 2017, USTMA members accounted for 82% of the 316 million passenger, light truck and truck tire shipments in the U.S.