Ohio drivers are one step closer to safer roads, according to Tire Discounters. S.B. 223 passed the Ohio Legislature and is expected to be signed by Governor Kasich. The bill prohibits the installation of unsafe used tires. It defines unsafe as anything under 2/32inch tread depth. Tire Discounters President and Ohio Tire & Automotive Association (OTAA) Board Member, Jamie Ward, has been working with OTAA for several years to remove unsafe tires from roads, Tire Discounters says.
“This consumer protection bill is long overdue,” Ward said. “It will prevent countless injuries and fatalities caused by unsafe tires.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that tires at 2/32-in. 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.
“Every Tire Discounters associate is trained on tire safety because our customers trust us to keep them safe. We’re installing customer education in our stores so that customers can see the difference in stopping distance as tire tread is worn down,” says Crissy Niese, chief customer officer and senior vice president of Tire Discounters says. “It’s shocking to see the difference between 2/32” and 5/32” tread depth. It’s easy to see how unsafe tires can lead to accidents.”
To ensure customer vehicles are safe to drive, Tire Discounters measures the tread depth for every customer at no cost regardless of the reason they stopped in.
“Customers don’t always ask us to measure their tread depth, but we do because the safety of our customers and their families is our top priority,” says Charles Curlee, vice president retail sales for Tire Discounters.
