[Padgett]

To a certain extent yes but the conditions matter more than the age. If the tire is garaged in a benign climate it will last much longer than left outside in a hot climate. Also an overloaded tire will not last as long as one that is underloaded.

Main point is that just because a tire is new does not mean it is perfect. In fact some defects will show up in the first few thousand miles.

The other factor often overlooked is the wheels. The picture below is of two 205\75R15 LRD tires rated at 2150 lbs at 65 psi but one of the wheels is only rated at 1820 lbs. Particularly with people switching from 14s to 15s, getting the proper wheel is as important as the proper tire.