Australasian Touring Caravan, Motorhome & Camping Club, Inc.

Contrary to popular belief, you can't judge a tyre by its cover. Researchers and most experts agree that along with tread depth and proper tyre maintenance, tyre age is also crucial to your safety on the road.

This tyre was bought as new -- it has never been on the road -- but was nearly 14 years old when purchased. Despite its deep treads, this tyre's inside layers have been slowly decomposing and drying out, what experts say make it like 'a ticking time bomb.'

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Attorney Roger Braugh shows Brian Ross that aged tyres have a higher potential for dramatic tread separation, which in many cases has led to tragic endings for unsuspecting motorists. Braugh says his lawsuits on behalf of dozens of victims have uncovered a pattern of corporate neglect and government inaction on the issue of aging tyres.

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This graphic breaks down the various codes in the Department of Transportation's serial number for tyres. A cryptic code of four numbers at the end of the 12-digit DOT serial number can tell the consumer which week and year a tyre was manufactured. Can you tell when your tyres were made?

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This tyre's DOT code indicates that it was made in the 41st week of 1994. tyres made in the 1990s have three numbers at the end of the DOT code, while tyres made after 2000 have four numbers.

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This tyre is more than seven years old. It was made in the 13th week of 2001. According to experts like Sean Kane, who runs a private auto safety research firm, tyres older than six years get increasingly more dangerous regardless of how long they've actually been on the road.

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ABC News' '20/20' sent producers undercover, rigged with hidden cameras, to tyre retailers all over the county to see if any old tyres are being sold as new. The undercover producers found half a dozen tyres older than six years at this Sears in Jersey City, N.J. -- some were even older than a decade.

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Aged tyres: A Hidden Danger on the Road? ABC News affiliates all over the country did their own investigations collaborating with '20/20' and the Brian Ross Investigative Unit for this report. In Indianapolis, WRTV-TV found old tyres at three tyre distributors. This tyre was made in the 31st week of 2001.

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Aged tyres: A Hidden Danger on the Road? In San Francisco, KGO's reporters found a nine-year-old tyre, made in the 45th week of 1999, sold as new at a tyre dealer.

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Aged tyres: A Hidden Danger on the Road? And in the New York area, our undercover '20/20' shoppers found several Sears stores selling tyres older than six years. Sears says it is unusual to have old tyres in their inventory and told ABC News, 'Consistent maintenance, proper inflation and regular inspection for tread wear patterns and damage are the keys to good tyre performance. For consumers who are concerned about the age or condition of their tyres, it is recommended they let us evaluate their tyres regularly, which we'll do free of charge.'

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Aged tyres: A Hidden Danger on the Road? At another Sears store, we were told that a tyre made 12 years ago, in the 46th week of 1996, was perfectly safe. Sears said, 'We follow an inventory process of first in, first out, and we turn our tyre inventory an average of more than three times a year. We note that there is a difference of opinion in the tyre industry...about the service-life limits of tyres. The safety of our customers is a top priority for Sears, and we'll continue to work with all interested parties to push for a consensus on tyre service limits.'

 

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