How Old Are Those Tires?

(AP)  A consumer group has asked the government to require "born-on" dates for tires, citing dozens of fatal crashes linked to older tires.

Massachusetts-based Safety Research & Strategies Inc. sent the request Friday to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and included an analysis of 50 crashes involving older tires.

SRS President Sean Kane said rubber can begin to degrade after six years even if tires have never been used.

"It's an invisible hazard," he told The Detroit News.

But some in the industry deny that. Donald Shea, president of the Rubber Manufacturers Association, said there is no research showing that a specific age makes a tire less strong, and adding dates could create a false sense of security that newer tires are safe, regardless of conditions, maintenance or wear.

"We've got safety concerns," Shea said. "But we would like to make a decision based on data."

NHTSA spokesman Rae Tyson said the agency had not yet reviewed the petition. The agency turned its attention to tires four years ago after at least 271 people were killed and hundreds more injured in accidents involving Firestone ATX tires, which were recalled.