Push For Safety: An Open Letter to Tire Dealers and Tire Companies - Tire Review Magazine

Push For Safety: An Open Letter to Tire Dealers and Tire Companies

This letter is addressed to you because, well, if you ever want to get something done, start at the grassroots level. I would have sent this to Congress, but there’s a bunch of new folks there, and they’re busy trying to find the restrooms.

I am writing you directly with an important matter: a proactive issue you can wrap your arms around. One that is good for both of you, and for insurance companies, for D.C., for the environment, for state and local governments and for consumers. It’s the big win-win-win-win-win!

First, I’m no fan of big government. I just expect my government to do something. The right way. The first time. But Congress, by definition, is reactive. Something bad has to happen before it makes a move. Think TREAD Act or the recent rash of gas-price-induced energy bills. The only proactive things Congress attempts are re-election campaigns.

So, we need to feed them a fat pitch they can hit for a homer.

How about a national tread depth law?

And, it needs to be a good one, not some mamby-pamby thing. A minimum of 4/32nds for passenger vehicles and 5/32nds all around for Class 3-and-above trucks and buses. Not 1/32nd less. Enforced with stiff fines and state-level vehicle inspections (which some states already have).

Currently, we have no such a law for passenger vehicles. Only a suggestion, based on some bygone, bias-tire-era notion. There is one for trucks and buses, but it is woefully inadequate for an 80,000-pound rig flying at 65 mph on a wet road – a measely 4/32nds for steers, 2/32nds for drive and trail axles.

Europe has such regulations. And, police enforce it rigorously. They’re inadequate – at 1.6mm or comparable to our ‘suggested’ 2/32nds – which is why there is an active effort there to change the regulation to 3mm, roughly 4/32nds of an inch.

Test after independent test – including a recent one by popular motor mag Auto Express – clearly demonstrate the need, especially on wet roads. Numerous parties are using such scientific reasoning and video evidence and are pressing the European Commission for an upgrade.

Over here, we have next to bupkus. Forty-two states mandate 2/32nds as the limit for passenger cars, but enforcement is inconsistent. Look around any mall parking lot. Two states stand by 1/32nd, and six others have nada. Even Canada has a federal law. It’s 2/32nds, but at least it is national.

Tiremakers, you know that deeper is better, that thousands of accidents could be avoided each year if drivers had more traction, especially in the rain and slush. Still, you’ve been hesitant to push for a realistic national tread depth law because, well, it would appear to be rather self serving.

Yes, more tires would be sold. More low/no tread tires would be scrapped. Consumers – if they didn’t properly maintain their tires – might suffer a minor loss in treadwear.

So what! Every other American industry lobbies hard for self-serving rules and regulations. What do we do? Wait for angry drivers and vexed consumer advocates and hot-button-pressing politicians to push us around? When did consumer education and safety become self serving?

This effort won’t be easy, but it has to start with you.

To get this ball rolling, get online and do some research. Check out the 3mm Campaign in the U.K. and the Tyre Industry Council Web site. Read your trade magazines. Dig out your own research on the subject. There is a wealth of information out there to support this concept.

Next, talk to consumers and get them to understand the safety benefit. Dealers, if you have customers with scary low tread, get them on new tires. Teach all of them how to get the most mileage out of their tires so that extra 2/32nds safety margin is seen positively, not as a loss on their tire investment. Tire company Web sites and consumer education pamphlets are great ways to carry that message. Put the penny test to rest!

Truck fleets will see that earlier pull points translate into greater overall tire ROI. State legislatures will love the opportunity to improve road safety and, maybe, boost state coffers. The insurance industry will quickly grasp the financial benefit. Even consumer groups, usually nipping at this industry’s heels, will happily jump on board.

Dealers can get their state dealer groups and TIA involved. Through the RMA, tire companies can begin the Beltway lobbying effort.

Eventually, every sector will be moving in the same direction – proactively and unashamedly seeking better for our customers. And then the movement will gain serious traction (pardon the pun) on Capitol Hill and become law.

Sounds simple, I know. But the other option is to once again sit on our hands and let everyone else to control our destiny.

There is a lot to this subject, so we will use our pages and Web site to help you advance this worthy cause. Hopefully, together we can come up with a real tire law that will mean something!

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