Driving on tires manufactured more than six years ago can be extremely dangerous
. Most people are not even aware of aging tires being a significant safety hazard. Even if the tires are recently purchased and show no signs of wear at all, they can still be considered dangerous if the tires are aged because tires older tires degrade with age and dry out and as a result are hazardous on the road. Aged tires can lead to potential accidents and cause a driver to lose control on the road. Tires older than six years are supposed to be discarded even if they are in perfect condition and have never been used. As a result of being exposed to oxygen and heat these tires may have degraded internally.
Certain well known retailers in the Unites States have been caught selling aged tires to unsuspecting consumers. Some U.S tire manufacturers have claimed that age is a not a prominent issue when it comes to tire safety, however, however other tire manufacturers such as Bridgestone and Firestone have stated that tires should not be used at all if they are older than ten years.
Tired produced since the year 2000 signify the year the tire was manufactures by a four digit code. You can tell when a tire was manufactured by looking at the last four digits of the Tire Identification Number, which can be seen on every tire. This number starts with the letters "DOT". The first two numbers signals the week and the last two numbers indicate the year that the tire was manufactured. The age of tires manufactured before the year 2000 is visible in the last three numbers. The first two numbers show the week and the last number shows the year. For example, the number 106 means that the tire was produced in the 10th week of 1996.
Also be on the look for tires which have"dry rotted". In order to determine if your tires have dry rotted, check carefully for any discoloration or cracks. It is also important to check each and every single tire because even if you're buying four tires at one time, it's still possible that the tires were produced during different times. Remember check the date on spare tires as well, as many cars have spares in the trunk that are quite old. Tires on recreational vehicles and RV's need to be checked as well, as these tires tend to be not used as often and may be using older tires.
Tires that function properly are crucial to driver safety. Tire failure at fast speeds can lead to potential rollovers and even fatalities. Some auto manufacturers have made steps in the right direction by mentioning the dangers of tire aging in their driver's manual plus it's been a subject on a few popular news television shows. Hopefully this will bring some awareness to the public and help to inform consumers that tire age is an extremely important component in optimizing tire and driver safety.