LONDON—United Kingdom-based road safety awareness group TyreSafe has welcomed a recent government initiative to ban tires aged 10 years or older, saying it highlights the importance of the safety of part-worn tires for the public.
The ban follows research commissioned by the U.K. Department for Transport, showing that aging tires can fail as a result of corrosion.
The DfT report acknowledges there is a "strong cross-industry consensus in support of an improved market organization for second-hand tires that should be regulated as for new or re-treaded tires," TyreSafe said in a statement.
"Ensuring tires are fit for purpose is crucial—they provide the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road," TyreSafe chair Stuart Jackson said in the statement.
Among the factors that can negatively impact tire performance, aging is one which has received significant attention, Jackson said.
"The government's willingness to address that concern has to be welcomed as it can only reduce the risks of a tire-related incident," Jackson added.
The TyreSafe official also welcomed the acknowledgement of "the widespread concern over the safety of part-worns," saying the DfT report suggests that further activity may be forthcoming to address the issue.
According to TyreSafe, a recent joint study in collaboration with Trading Standards has revealed that nearly two-thirds of tires that were inspected were unsafe.
"TyreSafe is here to educate and raise awareness on tire safety and the results of our investigations ... have done just that," Jackson said.