The U.S. Department of Transportation has increased the amount of fines that can be applied to tire dealers who incorrectly register consumer tires.
According to a recent notification in the Federal Register, the maximum penalty for individual violations has been increased to $22,723.
The maximum penalty for a "related series of violations" now totals $113.6 million.
In response, the Tire Industry Association (TIA) issued a statement expressing concern and reiterated its position that no fines should be applied "for the first two violations" and that penalties "could only be assessed after the dealer or distributor has been issued two written warnings."
In addition, TIA has proposed "that a third violation could not exceed $500 and that any subsequent penalty could not exceed $1,000, and that no more than one penalty could be assessed on a single day."
