“DRIVING on old car tires can be very dangerous, as statistics showed that this is one of the leading causes of accidents.”

Thus said Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas, as he is pushing for the approval of House Bill 1823 or an Act Prohibiting the Sale of Tires Aged Over Six Years and Requiring the Stating of Manufacture Date and the Mandatory Posting of the Dangers of Aged Tires at the Point of Sale.

In filing the bill, Vargas underscored that fact that aging plays a role in the degradation of the tire’s structure.

“Over time, the rubber in tires out and becomes less elastic. This may lead to cracking which can eventually cause the steel belts in the tire tread to separate from the rest of the tire. When this happens, the tire can fall apart while the vehicle is moving and can lead to deadly road accidents,” Vargas said.

Based on the reports of Metro Manila Accident Recording and Analysis System (MMARAS), an average of 299 road crash incidents happen every day in Metro Manila.

MMARAS also says there were 109,322 road crash incidents recorded in the National Capital Region in 2016, a 14.33 percent increase from the 95,615 incidents in 2015.

Aside from human error, the MMARAS also noted vehicle defect, such as bald and worn tires, is the leading cause of road accidents in Metro Manila, leaving a lot of people injured or dead.

Just this year, the Leomark Trans Bus had plunged into an 80-foot ravine in Carrangalan, Nueva Ecija killing 31 passengers.

Investigation showed that aside from overloading, the bus is already old and used tires already worn out, that exploded during the accident.

And in order to promote road safety and prevent this kind of accident, Vargas said it is better to prohibit the use of old tires, particularly those six years and above.

Under the measure, the sale of tires older than six years on vehicles driven in the highways and roadways in the country is prohibited.

The bill requires all sellers, vendors, distributors of tires to provide a written statement of the date of manufacture of the tires being sold.

The bill also requires that every retailer, wholesaler and distributor of tires shall at the place of sale, post in a conspicuous location, in letters at least two inches tall, a warning that indicates the danger of aged tires in their stores.

“It is important that consumers are informed about the age of the tires that they are buying and the potential dangers of using old tires,” Vargas said.

“Through this initiative, we are helping the safety of all motorists and pedestrians,” he added.

Once passed into law, violators will be fined with P10,000 to P50,000 and jail terms of one to two years.

-News Release 03 September 17