PUBLIC LAW 103-272—JULY 5, 1994 108 STAT. 949 (b) MAINTAINING PURCHASER RECORDS AND PROCEDURES.— (1) A mgmufacturer of a motor vehicle or tire (except a retreaded tire) shall cause to be maintained a record of the name and address of the first purchaser of each vehicle or tire it produces and, to the extent prescribed by regulations of the Secretary, shall cause to be maintained a record of the name and address of the first purchaser of replacement equipment (except a tire) that the manufacturer produces. The Secretary may prescribe by regulation the records to be maintained and reasonable procedures for maintaining the records under this subsection, including procedures to be followed by distributors and dealers to assist the msinufacturer in obtaining the information required by this subsection. A procedure shall be reasonable for the type of vehicle or tire involved, and ^ shall provide reasonable assurance that a customer list of a distributor or dealer, or similar information, will be made available to a person (except the distributor or dealer) only when necesssiry to carry out this subsection and sections 30118-30121, 30166(f), and 30167(a) and (b) of this title. Availability of assistance from a distributor or dealer does not afiect an obligation of a manufacturer under this subsection. v (2)(A) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Secretary may require a distributor or dealer to maintain a record under paragraph (1) of this subsection only if the business of the distributor or dealer is owned or controlled by a manufacturer of tires. "•'" (B) The Secretary shall require each distributor and dealer whose business is not owned or controlled by a manufacturer of tires to give a registration form (containing the tire identification number) to the first purchaser of a tire. The Secretary shall prescribe the form, which shall be standardized for all tires and designed to allow the purchaser to complete and return it directly to the manufacturer of the tire. The manufacturer shall give sufficient copies of forms to distributors and dealers. (3)(A) The Secretary shall evaluate from time to time how successful the procedures under paragraph (2) of this subsection have been in helping to maintain records about first purchasers of tires. After each evaluation, the Secretary shall decide— (i) the extent to which distributors and dealers have complied with the procedures; (ii) the extent to which distributors and dealers have encouraged first purchasers of tires to register the tires; and (iii) whether to prescribe for manufacturers, distributors, or dealers other requirements that the Secretary decides will increase significantly the percentage of first purchasers of tires about whom records are maintained. (B) The Secretary may prescribe a requirement under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph only if the Secretary decides it is necessary to reduce the risk to motor vehicle safety, after considering— (i) the cost of the requirement to manufacturers and the burden of the requirement on distributors and dealers, compared to the increase in the percentage of first purchasers of tires about whom records would be maintained as a result . of the requirement; (ii) the extent to which distributors and dealers have complied with the procedures in paragraph (2) of this subsection; and
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