INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana House Commerce, Small Business and Economic Development Committee has voted 11-0 to pass a bill prohibiting tire dealers and auto service providers from installing unsafe used tires on vehicles.
The committee voted on Indiana House Bill 1774 Jan. 17 after hearing testimony from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association, the Tire Industry Association and AAA Hoosier Motor Club.
The bill is USTMA model legislation. It would ban the installation of tires that have less than 2/32-inch tread depth; damage that exposes steel belts or other internal components; improper repairs; or bulges that indicate internal damage.
"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."
More than 30 million used tires are available for sale annually in the U.S., according to the USTMA. H.B. 1774 seeks only to ban the road use of those used tires that fail basic safety criteria, according to the association.
The USTMA quoted National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics that tire-related accidents cause roughly 200 fatalities and 6,000 injuries per year.