A new California law prohibits the installation of unsafe used tires in that state.
The legislation, signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom earlier this month, will require automotive repair facilities to visually inspect used tires to determine whether they meet the state's criteria of an unsafe used tire, which is defined as:
* A tire that is worn to 2/32-inch tread depth or less;
* A tire that has any damage via cuts, cracks, punctures, scrapes or wear that exposes its plies;
* A tire that has a puncture that has not been both sealed and patched on the inside and repaired with a cured rubber stem through to its exterior;
* A tire that has repair to the sidewall or bead area;
* A tire that has a puncture repair with damage that is larger than 1/4 of an inch;
* A tire that shows evidence of prior use of a temporary tire sealant to fix a puncture or damage, without evidence of a subsequent, proper repair;
* A tire that has a defaced or removed U.S. Department of Transportation tire identification number;
* A tire that has any innerliner or bead damage;
* A tire that shows indication of internal separation, such as bulges or local areas of irregular tread wear, indicating a distortion in the tread area when compared to other areas of the tread, or belt separation.
The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA), which supports the law, notes that the legislation "does not ban the installation or sale of all used tires. It targets used tires with specific, well-established, unsafe conditions."
"In a state as large and as focused on transportation as California, highway safety is especially important, and preventing the installation of unsafe used tires is vital to the protection of California motorists," says USTMA President and CEO Anne Forristall Luke.
"The UTSMA commends the California legislature for taking the lead on this important law."
