An Aberdeen Republican pushes back on a Democrat plan to limit the type of tires you can buy for your car or truck.
House Bill 2262 talks about reducing rolling resistance of tires in an effort to make tires more fuel efficient and thereby beneficial to the environment. The bill would ban the sale of tires that don’t meet new efficiency goals. Representative Jim Walsh of Aberdeen says the proposal would determine what new tires you can purchase.
“The tires have to be thinner, and frankly slicker, and that’s where the real rub comes here. This limit on the grabbiness of tires – it’s a safety issue.”
Tire manufacturers say to meet the new proposed standards, tires would have less tread depth and thereby less traction.
“You’ll be more likely to see hydroplaning and cars slipping and sliding whenever there is any kind of weather issue on the roads.”
Snow tires, spare tires, motorcycle tires, and those used on off-road recreational vehicles or agriculture vehicles would be exempt. Walsh says the proposed legislation sets bad policy and he wants to protect consumer choice.
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