In the late 1990s, the Firestone tire company ran into a bit of a problem. A defect in their tires, particularly those for SUVs, were exploding , even at somewhat normal highway speeds. Vehicular deaths were directly connected to the problem, but helped raise a more pressing question. How is a driver supposed to know when they’re at risk of a severe and potentially dangerous tire blowout? The answer was the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act. The TREAD Act requires all vehicles under 10,000 pounds to have Tire Pressure Management Systems installed. Since 2008, 100% of all new vehicles have the system installed.