Electronic Scanning for Recalled Tires

Last month, tire maker Continental recalled over 12,000 tires in two recalls for risk of tread separation and air pressure loss.
While Continental is working with tire dealers to help identify people who purchased the recalled tires, it is estimated by federal regulators that 62 to 80 percent of recalled tires are never actually taken out of circulation. Unsafe tires are a common contributing factor to car accidents in New Jersey.

Following Continental’s recalls, the U.S. Senate moved forward with a transportation bill which would require independent tire dealers to register tires when they are sold in order to more effectively communicate with tire manufacturers, for a situation in which manufacturers need to relay recall information. At the same time, safety advocates and representatives of the tire industry agreed to jointly advocate for the installation of electronic scanning and tracking devices in tires, such as radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, which would help ensure that defective tires are taken off the road and off of store shelves.

Tires with improper air pressure, or defective tread, are a danger to everyone on the road. They are more likely to hydroplane, skid and lengthen stopping distance significantly. No matter how much the communication system for tire recalls needs improvement, it is the responsibility of every driver to make sure his or her tires are safe to be on the road.