Killer Tires?

I was recently forwarded an ABC News story called "Tire Danger: The Cryptic Code That Could Save Your Life". It basically warns that driving vehicles with tires older than six years old could kill you. The point of the story is that, regardless of actual wear or appearance, driving on tires that are older than six years old greatly increases your chances of having tread separation and this could kill you. And there is a conspiracy amongst tire manufacturers to keep all this secret so the story goes on to tell you how to find and decipher the cryptic code found on every tire that tells you when it was manufactured.

While I agree that people should not use older tires, and that tread separation is not desirable, I think the danger and risk is overstated. When a tire blows out on most vehicles, the vehicle will suddenly pull to one side but the vehicle itself remains controllable. So if you remain calm and maintain directional control over the vehicle (i.e. keep it straight!), you should be fine.

In summary, it's great to warn people about the risks of driving on old tires, but I think it's more useful and important to learn how to handle your vehicle in emergency situations!