TIA, safety advocates hosting conference call on tire recall reform

WASHINGTON (July 20, 2015) — The Tire Industry Association (TIA) is joining with Safety Institute Inc. and Families for Safer Recalls in calling for reforms to the tire recall system that includes a requirement for uniform electronic scanability of tires.

Current efforts to reform tire recalls are merely tweaks to what is essentially a paper-and pencil system, the three organizations said.

“The coalition of the TIA, which represents tire dealers, and safety advocates are challenging policy makers to require a viable automated solution that will ensure motorist safety by making it easy to identify recalled tires and remove them from service,” said a joint press release issued July 20.

The three organizations have scheduled a conference call at 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, July 21, to discuss their campaign to reform tire recalls. The hosts include:

• TIA Executive Vice President Roy Littlefield;
• Sean Kane, founder and president of the board of directors for Safety Institute; and
• Rich Newsome, counsel to Families for Safer Recalls.

The conference call coincides with a scheduled Senate vote to invoke cloture on S. 1732, the Comprehensive Transportation and Consumer Protection Act of 2015.

The bill, which contains both transportation funding reauthorization and transportation safety provisions, contains an amendment requiring independent tire dealers and auto repairers to register the tires they sell and transmit the information electronically to tire manufacturers.

TIA opposes that provision, which is backed by the Rubber Manufacturers Association. The heavy fines associated with the provision would ruin small tire dealers, according to TIA, while larger dealerships would be harmed by having to transmit their customer lists to tire makers.

To participate in the conference call, call either 866-952-1908 or 785-424-1827, and use TIRES as the conference ID.