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OLD TIRES CAN BE DANGEROUS

In recent articles, there has been a lot of discussion about the dangers of the old tires.  In Virginia, the law requires an annual inspection of your car.  This inspection looks at tire tread wear.  But, it does not include a determination of how old your car’s tires are.  Further, no localities, such as Charlottesville or Virginia Beach, require any further inspection.  This inspection does not mean your tires are safe.  Over time, tires can degrade and can become dangerous.  What is the appropriate time to replace tires?  The Volkswagen manual recommends that tires be replaced after six years, regardless of tread wear.  The warning provided in the manual states that old tires can fail in use causing loss of vehicle control and personal injury.  Most US tire manufacturers do not give any warning on this danger.  So how do you know if your tires are more than six years old?  You can look at the last four numbers of the 12 digit DOT serial number located on the inside of the tire.  Unfortunately, if the tires are already on your car, you have to crawl under the car to find the number. The first two numbers of the four digit code referred to the week of manufacture.  The last two numbers are the year of manufacture.  For instance, 2009 means that the tire was made in the 20th week of 2009.

However, if there is only a three digit code, that means your tire was made before the year 2000.  If you are concerned about how old your tires might be, you should check this four digit code.  Old tires can fail without warning and the results can be a serious car wreck.  If you have concerns about your tires’ age, a quick inspection of the DOT serial number could put your mind to rest.

Contact the experienced injury attorneys at the law firm of Wilson & Hajek.