Minister Considers Law Over Snow Tyres

New Zealand’s Minister for Transport Safety says he’ll consider whether the country needs to introduce a law requiring snow tyres fitted to second-hand Japanese imported cars to be replaced by tyres designed for the New Zealand market.

The nation of 4 million people has no domestic new car industry and a large proportion of cars sold in New Zealand have previously seen up to seven years’ service on Japan’s roads before arriving in their new country. The suitability of some tyres the cars arrive with has been called into question following several fatal collisions involving vehicles wearing Japanese snow tyres.

The Minister for Transport Safety, Harry Duynhoven, says that the police have raised concerns about the tyres, therefore he will look at whether such a law banning such tyres is necessary.