People do not identify tire aging as a safety hazard

Abstract

Tires are among the most critical components of motor vehicles, requiring proper maintenance to minimize the risks of accidents associated with failure. Tire failures at high speeds in vehicles such as SUVs have resulted in vehicle rollovers, serious injuries and occupant death. Tire degradation, as a result of age-related factors, can be contributor to tire failure for which many people may have little awareness. A total of 225 participants (101 non-student adults and 124 college students) were asked to list all contributors that they believed could cause tire problems. Although most respondents mentioned one or more causes of tire failure, only 4.0% of the participants mentioned tire aging as a cause. These results suggest that a substantial proportion of the population is not aware of tire aging as a potential hazard. Implications for a multimethod labeling and warning system are described.