Photo: GM
The agency charged with regulating auto industry and transportation safety standards in the United States is preparing a tire aging regulation. This breaking piece of news has been released by Abby Morgan, a safety standards engineer at the NHTSA, at the 30th annual Clemson University Tire Industry Conference.
As the federal agency is making last minute updates to the federal truck and bus tire safety standard, a consumer tire information and aging standard is also in the pipeline and could become a reality as soon as this summer. Truth be told, the NHTSA has been running tire aging tests on light passenger vehicles since 2002.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is adamant that old, degraded tires are a key factor in many crash situations. An official from the Rubber Manufacturers Association declared at the aforementioned conference that the relationship between tire failure and aging of the rubber is especially strong in warm climates such as Southern California, Texas and Arizona.
The suite of new or revised safety and endurance standards for light passenger vehicles and pickup trucks is meant as an update to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #139. Truck and bus tires safety standard FMVSS #119 has been in effect for a whopping 41 years, while the first passenger vehicle tires safety standard (FMVSS #139) was adopted 11 years ago.
The updated FMVSS #139 will purposedly feature a five-bin rating system for treadwear, traction and rolling resistance in order to offer consumers a broader choice range in each tire category. A representative from the Rubber Manufacturers Association said that the RMA doesn't wish the NHTSA to completely ban used tires, but inflict penalties upon drivers that use potentially unsafe tires on public roads.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is adamant that old, degraded tires are a key factor in many crash situations. An official from the Rubber Manufacturers Association declared at the aforementioned conference that the relationship between tire failure and aging of the rubber is especially strong in warm climates such as Southern California, Texas and Arizona.
The suite of new or revised safety and endurance standards for light passenger vehicles and pickup trucks is meant as an update to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #139. Truck and bus tires safety standard FMVSS #119 has been in effect for a whopping 41 years, while the first passenger vehicle tires safety standard (FMVSS #139) was adopted 11 years ago.
The updated FMVSS #139 will purposedly feature a five-bin rating system for treadwear, traction and rolling resistance in order to offer consumers a broader choice range in each tire category. A representative from the Rubber Manufacturers Association said that the RMA doesn't wish the NHTSA to completely ban used tires, but inflict penalties upon drivers that use potentially unsafe tires on public roads.
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