In Senegal, the State has decided to ban the import of used tires. This decision follows the deadly accident, which involved two public transport buses. The tragedy occurred in the center of the country and caused the death of more than 40 people.
According to the first elements of the investigation, the accident was caused by the bursting of a tire of one of the buses. Which resulted in a head-on collision with another oncoming bus.
The tires that are used by motorists in Senegal come for the most part from the import of second-hand tires, often from Europe.
“Used tires have already passed their deadline in Europe, then we recover them and market them,” says Modou Gueye. He is a vulcanizer in the populous district of Keur Massar, located in the suburbs of Dakar.
Standing in the middle of the tires that he resells to carriers, Modou Gueye recognizes however that “These used tires are not safe, it’s just a matter of luck. When you buy it, you think you have a good quality tire when it is very likely that the tire will burst after a week. »
In addition to his work as a tire dealer, Modou often fixes damaged tires.
“Here, we are used to applying a tire wick to those who have, for example, been punctured by a foreign body and they [les automobilistes] continue to ride with them. But, that sooner or later the tire will end up bursting because the crack created by the foreign body will widen under the sunburn”, he confesses.
Modou Gueye is a vulcanizer and reseller of used tires.
This confession earned him the remarks of one of the drivers who had come to have his truck repaired at the mechanic next door.
“Vulcanizers who patch tires need to stop doing that too. A defective tire must be changed. That’s the reality, ”plague Malick Dia.
As far as he is concerned, he says that when he detects a problem with one of his tires, he automatically reports it to the owner who employs him. “It’s up to him to change it, I’m just an employee,” he says.
Nevertheless, Modou Gueye and he agree on one point: the government’s decision to ban the import of second-hand tires is a real blow.
They doubt that the purchasing power of consumers is commensurate with these maintenance costs.
The price of new tires for sedans costs between 50,000 and 80,000 francs per unit depending on the dimensions. While second-hand tires vary between 10,000 and 20,000 francs per unit, the price multiplied by 4, the price barely exceeds the cost of a new tire.
Regarding tires for buses and trucks, “New tires cost between 200,000 and 250,000 francs while used tires cost between 80,000 and 90,000 francs,” says mechanic Ousmane Ndiaye.
Used tires stored at Modou Gueye.
The decision to ban does not please tire importers like Mamadou Thiéka Mbaye. For him, it is the consumers who will suffer the most from this decision.
“We sell both new and used tires but I know that the price of new tires is inaccessible to Senegalese,” he says.
According to him the argument of the quality of the tires does not hold and that the decision risks creating the opposite effect.
“We risk seeing motorists who will continue to drive with worn tires since they will not have the means to buy new tires,” explains Mr. Mbaye.
“The used tires that we import are not necessarily of poor quality, they are tires that Europeans change according to the seasons” affirms Mamadou Mbaye who is almost sure that this decision will not be implemented.
How important are tires in road safety?
“In Senegal, between 2017 and 2023, there were 165 road deaths following a tire burst. This represents 2.14% of accidents”, according to Abdou Karim Diop, author of the book Road accidents in Senegal.
While the causes of accidents linked to the human factor represent 92%, those resulting from the condition of the vehicle represent 5%.
“In 2017, road insecurity cost at least FCFA 163 billion per year in Senegal, or 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)”, says a government press release.
According to Abdou Karim Diop, tires are decisive for driving safety since they are the only elements in contact with the road.
“If the tire is worn, there is no more grip, when you brake, you don’t have the right braking,” he says.
He is also delighted with the Senegalese government’s decision to ban the import of used tires.
“There are a billion used tires in the world and Africa must refuse to be the tire trash can of the world. We must refuse to absorb these tires that Europe, America, the West in its great part do not want and that we consume ourselves in the African continent”, he denounces.
Photo credit, Abdou Karim Diop
Abdou Karim Diop wrote the book Road accidents in Senegal.
What can cause a tire blowout?
According to Mr. Diop, a tire blowout can be caused by several factors which he lists below:
– the load index: there is a maximum weight that the tire cannot support
-the speed index: if you drive at a certain speed, the tire will burst
-the age of the tire: tires have a lifespan. If the tire has a life expectancy of 5 years, whereas it has been manufactured for 10 or 20 years, if you drive it on the road, it will burst.
– the heat: it is necessary to avoid circulating during the hot hours
– under-inflation: you must observe the left rear door of the vehicle, or the vehicle manual, you are always told the pressure to which the tires must be inflated.
– do not inflate the tires when hot: it is best to inflate the tires before driving for 5 km or to inflate them when cold. The pressure is indicated on the left door of the vehicle or in the manual.
What to do when a tire bursts?
Mr. Abdou Karim gives some advice to observe when one of your tires bursts while you are driving:
– keep your cool: do not panic and have your head on your shoulders
– hold the vehicle well: do not turn left or right
– slow down the vehicle by applying engine braking: in the case of a vehicle with a pedal, gradually downshift without switching off the engine to neutral. The vehicle will stop by itself. In the case of a vehicle with automatic transmission, take your feet completely off the accelerator without braking until the vehicle comes to a standstill.
-never touch the brake pedal: the car risks tipping over. When a tire bursts, it is the rim that is in contact with the road. When braking, the vehicle will automatically roll over.