New auto-safety laws are en route.(On the Road)

Several major auto-safety initiatives will take effect later this year, under provisions of the TREAD Act of 2000. The law, officially the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act, is a direct result of the massive Firestone tire recall. However, it also includes several other safety provisions that Consumers Union, publisher of CONSUMER REPORTS, has long pushed for.

We are planning detailed coverage of many changes initiated by the new law in the months ahead. However, if you're in the market for a new child safety seat, new tires, or a new car or light truck, you should begin to see some of these changes this year:

Better tire labels. Starting in September, the tire and auto industries will begin phasing in improved tire labels and loading information on most new passenger cars, minivans, pickups, and sport-utility vehicles and their tires. The Tire Information Number will appear on both sides of the tire, to make it easier for vehicle owners to identify tires that may be involved in a recall.An improved information placard will be placed in a standard location on a door pillar or jamb. It will indicate tire size, recommended pressures, and the maximum weight a vehicle can carry--a major change that we have strongly favored.

Tire-pressure monitors. Automakers must install tire-pressure monitoring systems in all new vehicles by 2006. The law mandates that one of two systems be used: One monitors pressure directly in each tire and alerts the driver if air pressure in one or more tires falls at least 25 percent below a minimum level. The other, an indirect monitor, alerts ...