When determining whether the tires on their vehicle are still good or when choosing new tires, most consumers simply look at the tread depth. But, there is a good chance that those tires might be years or decades old and at risk of falling apart. Regardless of their tread, old tires pose a huge risk to consumer safety and put individuals at risk of serious injury or death.

The Law Offices of James S. Rogers recently represented Diana Hubner in a wrongful death suit after Diana’s husband, Clayton, died in 2012 when the tread on the tires of the truck in which he was a passenger separated, causing the driver to lose control of the truck. The truck rolled three times, and Clayton was killed during the crash. Just about a month and a half before the crash, Diana had the tires inspected and they were cleared as safe to drive. Unbeknownst to Diana, despite having good tread, the tires were 14 years old. Chrysler, Ford and General Motors all recommend that tires be tossed six years after the year they were manufactured.

Before buying a new set of tires, or when determining whether your current tires are safe, it’s important to look at more than the tread. You need to know when the tires were manufactured. The manufacture week and year can be found on the tire, hidden in the DOT number. The last four numbers in the DOT number will tell you the week and year of manufacture. Always ask to see the DOT number before purchasing a new set of tires.

How to find the DOT number on a tire. (Photo Credit: KDVR-TV)

The Hubner family received a three million dollar settlement from the tire dealer that inspected the tires and is urging consumers to ensure they know the DOT number before having new tires put on their car.