RIYADH, 19 August 2007 — Despite a fine of up to SR1,000 for the sale of used tires and city officials stepping up efforts to crack down on the illegal and potentially dangerous trade, unscrupulous dealers are still wreaking havoc with the lives of people in the Kingdom.
Used tires cause 39 percent of car accidents in the country every year, according to official statistics.
The people involved in such accidents generally are families traveling at high speeds in their cars on tires they believe are safe.
Several media reports have warned against the risk of using old tires, or factory-rejected new tires.
Some new but defective tires have shown up in the local market. Consumers are warned to be wary of new tires whose prices may be too good to be true.
Used tires are sold in the puncture shops on highways away from the prying eyes of city inspectors.
“The summer is the most important season for us, since tires get damaged as a result of high temperatures,” said Mohamed Thabet, a Yemeni worker at a local tire shop. Stacked on the wall of his shop were used tires for sale — some of them so worn that frayed strands of fiber can be seen in patches.
