NTDA and RAC Foundation Warn of Tyre Ageing Dangers

When the NTDA announced it was planning this summer’s tyre ageing campaign back in April, it came as a surprise to many. However, in an interview with association chairman Peter Gaster, Tyres & Accessories learnt that initial plans for the awareness raising effort actually began more than four years ago. The story begins in around 2004 when (prompted by a high profile accident) the government road worthiness enforcement agency, VOSA, contacted Peter Gaster to ask his advice about the safety of particular tyre brand.

Upon further investigation it became clear that the issue at hand was nothing to do with tyre brand, but rather product age – the tyre in question was around 13 years old. VOSA considered recommending that tyre age be included in annual MOT tests as an advisory, but the Department of Transport is believed to have vetoed this. The industry discussions that followed revealed that there was no definitive statement on tyre ageing. However, NTDA considered it a serious enough issue to warrant a consumer campaign, based on a “common sense” approach. This began with a mass-mailshot of NTDA members, supplying the customer facing end of the business with the information and point of sale material necessary to inform the public.

This is currently being followed up with a series of national and regional radio and press interviews designed to lead consumers into considering the age and condition of their tyres. Industry advice This month T&A is publishing details of how the UK’s leading industry bodies advise those in the trade to deal with old tyres. Peter Gaster starts off by pointing out “there is no use-by date stipulation for tyres due to the enormously varied operating conditions and applications they experience.” However there is a shared view among industry bodies, safety organisations and vehicle manufacturers that older tyres are subject to a higher risk of failure. The NTDA recommends that all vehicles aged 10 years and over should have their tyres examined for age-related damage and deterioration, especially the spare. Most at risk are older low mileage vehicles – caravans, motor-homes, trailers and classic and vintage cars that do low mileage over long periods of time.

The RAC Foundation says: “Modern tyres are very robust and failure-resistant, but older tyres that have been stored incorrectly or simply not used for many years can become unfit for purpose through the passage of time alone.” RoSPA: “Tyres that have been in storage should not be placed into use if they are over 6 years old, from their date of manufacture. When a tyre has been in use, the effects of aging are lessened to a degree, but such tyres should be replaced after 10 years. TyreSafe warns drivers to pay particular attention to the condition of spare tyres and tyres fitted to vehicles that are left standing and exposed to the elements for long periods, like trailers and caravans: “Sudden tyre failure can result in a loss of control and lead to an accident resulting in serious injury or death. If you suspect your tyres are showing signs of ageing, TyreSafe recommends having them checked immediately by your nearest tyre retailer.”

There is no unanimous position on tyre age among UK car makers although the six year age seems to figure in the majority of published advice. For example, Toyota says: “Any tyres which are over 6 years old must be checked by a qualified technician even if damage is not obvious.” Volkswagen and Seat agree, saying: “Avoid running the vehicle on tyres that are more than six years old. If there is no alternative, drive slowly with extra care at all times.” Vauxhall’s advice is: “Tyres age, even if they are used only very little or not at all. A spare wheel which has not been used for six years should be used with care.”