Vehicle, Tire Makers Must Report on Fatalities

U.S. highway regulators issued rules Wednesday requiring makers of vehicles, tires and child restraint systems to provide quarterly reports on deaths and injuries linked to their products.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rules implement the early warning provisions of legislation passed in response to the Firestone tire debacle.

Manufacturers producing more than 500 vehicles annually and all makers of child restraint systems and tires must report deaths and injuries in the United States as well as warranty claims, consumer complaints, property damage and field reports, the NHTSA said.

The first quarterly reports will not be due until Aug. 31, 2003.

To help the agency use the data, larger manufacturers will be required to provide a limited amount of historical data on warranty claims and field reports covering three prior years on Sept. 30, 2003.