ZABS develops standard for used motor vehicle tyres

Hazel Zulu

The Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has developed a standard for used motor vehicle tyres.

ZABS head marketing and public relations Hazel Zulu notes that tyres are a critical component of a vehicle, and that it is against this background that ZABS in collaboration with various stakeholders developed and published the standard ZS 1051 which will be used to check used tyres that can be used on vehicles to enhance public safety on the roads.

She says the development of this Standard was undertaken by the Automobiles Technical Committee represented by a number of institutions among them, the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA), Toyota Zambia Limited, CFAO Zambia, Commuters Rights Association of Zambia, Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) and Tyre King Zambia.

Ms Zulu has explained that the standard, among other requirements, clearly specifies that a used tyre should have a minimum average tread depth of 4.0 mm, measured from four points or locations on the tyre with the shallowest tread depth.

She says this is because a suitable tyre pressure and tread depth is crucial to maintaining control in emergency situations.