Tire dealers alert public to tire registration process.

Tire dealers are helping to make the public more aware of the federal mandate of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that requires retailers to register every tire that is sold, according to CIMS, said to be the world's largest private tire registration service. "In the last two years, tire registrations have increased 48%," according to Paul J. Kruder, president of CIMS, providing registration services to tire manufacturers, brand owners and dealers. "The overwhelming majority of those registrations are coming from independent tire dealers, at their own expense." Kruder said the increase is due, in part, to tire dealers taking a more active role in support of the NHTSA law, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Act, in the interest of tire and overall automobile safety. The law requires tire retailers to provide tire registration forms to purchasers, and, in turn, the customers can voluntarily mail in the completed forms to the tire manufacturers so they can be easily contacted if their tires are recalled for defects or safety issues.