There are about 3 tire-related deaths per 10 billion miles driven, the data analysis showed.

While the overall frequency of tire-related deaths fell 18 percent from 1991 to 1999, this does not necessarily mean that tires became much safer.

The frequency of tire-related deaths per million Explorers was five times the national average last year.

Regulators have since received unconfirmed reports of additional tire-related deaths in Explorers that were not included in the federal data.

Even with the tire-related deaths, Explorer occupants have a lower death rate in rollovers than those of most other midsize sport utility vehicles.

The rate of tire-related deaths in Explorers per million vehicles was nearly twice that for all other sport utilities.

Ford officials welcomed the consumer advisory as an indication that the tire-related deaths were the result of tire problems and not a vehicle defect.

Federal data shows that most tire-related deaths in Explorers and other sport utility vehicles occur because of rollovers.

By contrast, there were 93 tire-related deaths in Ford Explorers during this period.

All but 13 of the 203 tire-related deaths reported to regulators occurred after 1996.