Four Saudi auto insurance companies here have commissioned a panel of traffic safety specialists to investigate the extent of tire-related accidents in the Kingdom because of the possibility of the increased use of fake tires by motorists. Use of counterfeit or poor-quality tires could see a rise in auto insurance premiums. According to the director general and board member of one of the companies, who requested anonymity, the objective is to include disclaimers in insurance policies in “clear and simple language” on the “installation of fake tires by car owners”. 8.4 million motor vehicles which travel between cities on 67,000 kilometers of paved roads.“Choosing the appropriate tire should be as important as inquiring about the right physician,” he added. The Saudi Arabia National Information Center (SANIC) in Riyadh provides detailed information about the number of injuries and deaths related to auto accidents. SANIC, however, does not specify factors leading to the increasing number of accidents in the Kingdom. Across Saudi Arabia there are about 8.4 million motor vehicles which travel between cities on 67,000 kilometers of paved roads. There are about 1.8 million cars that travel beyond the borders of the Kingdom. The scorching summer months see an increased risk of tire-related car accidents. Dr. Abdulmajid Helmi, a transportation specialist at King Abdulaziz University, said summer is a particularly dangerous time for motorists. “It is critical for motorists to check tires during hot weather, when families and luggage often overload vehicles for long vacation trips.” Motorists have been warned since 1996 by authorized car manufacturers, including Toyota, Nissan and Hyundai, against installing counterfeit parts such as brakes, electronic components and hydraulic systems.Fahd Bajaifer, an independent spare parts merchant, believes that the proliferation of low quality spare parts can be blamed on some manufacturers. Others have gone out of business because they overpriced their spare parts. “In the last 10 years Chinese, Korean, Singaporeans and even south Vietnamese producers, some of them licensed by mother companies, began producing lower-quality products at much lower prices than the originals,” said Bajaifer. “No doubt there is a good deal of counterfeits and cheapies but it is on sale lawfully and people go for the lower cost,” he added. Mohammed Alzain, Al-Amjad Private Laboratory Director, said that the sea ports and border quality control officers found more than 27 percent of the imported tires in 2010 were “copies of the original brands”. He said the authorities test the durability of tires. The role of Saudi customs ends with an examination of the tires and notification of the Commercial Fraud Commission, which is supposed to take action against the exporting companies. It is not clear whether some of the unreliable tires are exported but a portion can be found at local stores. __
