BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) - Thousand of drivers will travel the highways over the Thanksgiving holiday, but a recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board shows improvements are needed when it comes to tire recalls.
Drivers share a fairly common response when asked if they registered their tires - 'no.'
Recommended Videos
In 2013, about 540 people died in tire-related accidents, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Transportation officials said many of those accidents happened due to tread separation.
But there is no national, tire registration process for notifying consumers about defective tires.
Campus Automotive in Blacksburg said employees take extra steps to make sure tires are registered, which is not currently required by the NTSB.
"Each tire has a unique identification number, commonly referred to as the DOT number," Matt McMurrary, Owner of Campus Automotive said.
McMurrary said for every tire he sells, he puts the Department of Transportation number on a card that is sent to a tire registration center in Ohio.
"In an unlikely event of a tire recall, we can register the tire and the consumer can be notified," McMurrary said.
He thinks his system to register tires protects his customers.
"It's a good idea. I grew up right in the middle of the big Firestone Tire recall," McMurray said.
Now, the NTSB is proposing that tire registration be required for all tire dealers.
To find out if the tires on your vehicle have been recalled, visit http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues