U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Announces First Rulemaking Implementing TREAD Act |
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Topics: Rodney E. Slater
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NHTSA
November 30, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 30, 2000
Contact: Tim Hurd
Tel. No.: (202) 366-9550
NHTSA 55-00
NHTSA Action Seeks Comments for Improving Consumer Information on Safe Tire Use
U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced the first rulemaking action to implement requirements of the recently enacted Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation (TREAD) Act. In this rulemaking action, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking the public for comments on ways to provide consumers with information that will help them use their tires more safely.
"The TREAD Act, signed by President Clinton earlier this month, represents a big step forward in addressing critical motor vehicle safety concerns, and I am pleased that we are implementing this law promptly," Secretary Slater said. "Safety is President Clinton and Vice President Gore’s highest transportation priority, and making tire information more accessible and clear to owners will certainly advance safety."
The agency is seeking responses from the public to a broad array of questions on such matters as the Tire Identification Number (TIN) content, readability and location of the TIN, load rating, speed rating, tire inflation pressure labeling, tread wear indicators, and the Uniform Tire Quality Grading information.
"We are moving quickly to put better information programs into place in the crucial area of tire safety," said Dr. Sue Bailey, NHTSA administrator. "We want to be sure that we present tire information to consumers in the clearest and most understandable way."
The TREAD Act requires that the Secretary of Transportation initiate rulemaking to improve the labeling of tires and thus help consumers identify tires that may be the subject of a safety recall. The Act also provides that the Secretary may take whatever additional action is appropriate to ensure that the public is aware of the importance of observing motor vehicle tire load limits and maintaining proper tire inflation.
An Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Dec. 1 Federal Register will seek public comments on tire labeling and safety information. Comments should be submitted by Jan. 30, 2001, to the USDOT Docket Facility, Room PL-401, Attn: Docket No. NHTSA-00-8296, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C., 20590. Comments also may be submitted electronically at on the Internet.