Dear Editor,
The 2016 budget calls for the banning of used tyres and old cars. As a result some sections of the population are outraged. My solution is to have importers take out insurance and extended warranties on these products. Moreover, insurance companies should offer insurance products to drivers based on whether they intend to use old tyres on their very old car. Such insurance would attract higher premiums in order to protect the policy-owner against liabilities if the products are found be defective.
Another suggestion is a Bureau of Standards certification for a preset number of miles. This information will be tagged onto the tyre’s history, ie, odometer reading at the time of installation and the drop dead date to replace. The history will be used by insurance companies and the legal system when the owner/operator of the vehicle is sued for causing injuries to person or property.
Taxation and pricing have always been used to change behaviour. The same should go for consumer items with less than 6 months to expiration date. That goes for hair products, building materials, electronics, including smartphones, and pharmaceutical and medical devices.
These warranties and insurance should be fully enforceable in a court of law. So in the case of new or used tyres there is a solution to address demand and supply.
I trust the insurance companies are ready to expand their product offerings. If not the government should get into the business as a re-insurer.
Yours faithfully,
Keith Bernard
