Every year, motorists have a question: when to install winter tires? The fact that drivers ask such questions is understandable - installing winter tires too early can lead to their premature wear, and a car on winter tires feels less comfortable. But if you do not take care of replacing the rubber in advance, then one day they risk "hitting" frost and snow, and operating the car on summer tires at such a moment will not only be uncomfortable and unsafe. Accordingly, you need to understand when to put winter tires in order not to miss the right moment.
Table of contents:When to legalize winter tires
The Wheeled Vehicle Safety Regulation contains a strict definition of when winter or summer tires must be fitted to a vehicle. According to the law, in the summer months (June, July and August), you can use any rubber on the car, except for studded tires, since it negatively affects the road surface. During the winter months (December, January and February), only tires that are designed for winter can be used, while both studded and non-studded tires can be used.
Please note: Only tires with the following designations are allowed for use in the winter months in the Russian Federation:M +S,M &S orMS. These markings indicate that the tires are intended for winter use. At the same time, such designations may be present on all-season tires, then their operation in the winter is permitted. If the all-season tires do not have this mark, they cannot be used in winter.
It should be noted that the regional authorities have the right to change the terms of use of seasonal rubber. For example, regional government decrees may require the use of winter tires from October to April. At the same time, legislators do not have the right to reduce the terms of prohibition of the use of tires of one kind or another.
From all of the above, we can conclude that at any time of the year, according to the law, you can use non-studded winter tires. Winter studded tires can always be used, except for the summer period. And summer tires can always be used, except for the winter period.
When to change your car for winter tires
As you can see, the legislation does not have an exact date when you should change your shoes to winter tires, but this must be done before December 1. In Russia, by December 1, there is already an abundant layer of snow on the road, in such conditions it is unsafe to operate a car on summer tires, therefore, you need to have time to change your shoes in advance.
It is important to remember that when replacing rubber from summer to winter, it is imperative to check the tire pressure, as well as perform similar camber, otherwise all sorts of problems may arise, for example, the car will spontaneously stretch to the side during the movement.
It should be noted that among motorists, November 15 is often called the "Day of the change of summer tires." It is generally accepted that this is the ideal date to replace tires. But, given the Russian climate, it cannot be said unequivocally that on November 15, it is necessary to change the car's shoes.
Penalty for using summer tires in winter
There is a widespread belief that a driver will be fined for using summer tires in winter. But this opinion is erroneous, since there is no legislative regulation of the sanctions to the driver for the operation of summer tires in winter. Indeed, the legislation considered a similar bill, but it was not adopted and at the moment there are no sanctions according to the law if you use summer tires in winter.
»New law on winter tires 2016 - 2017
Adoption of the law on winter tires
At the end of October 2016, among drivers, a period marked by the theme of winter tires begins. In addition to the usual conversations about where to get auto parts, the topic of a new law on rubber was added.
Disappointing news on TV channels comes from the State Duma, which says about fines for using tires that are not suitable for the season. Most auto sites claim there is no cause for concern yet.
Fine for tires out of season has existed for a long time, and as for the new bill being considered in the main legislative body, there is nothing out of the ordinary.
The Duma is in the midst of discussing the new "tire" law. Upon entry into force, the new law will force car owners to have tread depths in accordance with the (not yet approved) new regulations, and this hassle will last from early December to early March. To put it simply, they will be punished for driving on summer tires in the winter.
Another feature, worn-out winter tires are also subject to a fine. They will also be fined for driving on spikes on summer roads from early June to early September. In both cases the fine will be as much as 2,000 rubles.
It should be said that the new law on winter tires did not add anything new to the existing rules. Indeed, according to the existing standards, in winter, only protectors with a depth of more than 1 millimeter for passenger cars are allowed on rubber.
And when driving a car on snow and icy road sections, the depth of the rubber projector according to the regulations should be at least 4 millimeters. Apparently, in the new legislation, these requirements were simply toughened, although according to the old rules, such requirements were also not new.
Why is it forbidden to use summer tires in winter?
- Longer braking distances due to the changed composition and pattern of the tire's rubber.
- Lack of spikes on the rubber.
- The handling of the car is reduced due to the deterioration of wheel traction on ice and snow.
Precisely what was not in the old rules were references to tire seasonality, but similar clauses were contained in other regulations. The law did not enforce a fine for summer tires in winter until 2015, although there were attempts to implement it in 2013. Those regulations, adopted by the Customs Union in 2014, impose a fine for driving on off-season tires.
According to the regulations, the use of summer tires is prohibited in winter, from December to February, and vice versa, in the summer from June to August, driving on winter tires is not allowed.
Why is it forbidden to use winter tires in summer?
- The braking distance is increased due to the sliding of metal spikes on the asphalt surface
- Studded rubber damages the asphalt surface like a sanding cloth
- Increased noise from the contact of rubber spikes on the road surface
This standard has existed for two years. However, specifically in the traffic rules and the Administrative Code there is no clear regulation on the use of off-season tires, to put it simply, there is no such article there. Such violations are assessed only as a violation of the rules on the operation of transport, without compliance with technical requirements. Minimum the fine in such a situation is 500 rubles.
There are specific indications in this provision that regional adjustments to the norms for the use of seasonal tires are permissible, in different weather conditions. In other words, it makes no sense to use summer tires in permafrost conditions, for example in the north. Since such adjustments can only be of a regional nature, this, in turn, leads to misunderstanding on the part of the traffic police, who may not be aware of such amendments. Also, logic dictates that in the southern regions of the country it would be possible to reduce the period of wearing winter tires, but unfortunately, the regional authorities have more powers to increase this period, and not to reduce it.
Video about the law of winter tires
If you look at the already existing norms, then it becomes clear the desire of the deputies to introduce just such laws. They (the deputies) are trying to correct these conflicts in the law so that the traffic rules prohibit driving on spikes in the summer months from June to August, and vice versa, a complete ban was imposed on summer tires in the winter from December to February. And the amendments made to the Administrative Code were supposed to form a clear article and a fine of 2 thousand rubles... As you can see, there are no “apocalyptic” changes in the laws, and motorists have nothing to fear.
The tasks facing the deputies urge them to activate these laws starting from December 1, and there are chances for this. The authorities at all levels, as well as the concerned public, all of them support these ideas. You cannot joke with the safety of driving in winter conditions, using summer tires, no motives to save money are inappropriate here. Also, the destruction of the asphalt surface in summer must not be allowed by riding on studded winter tires.
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With the onset of cold weather, drivers are interested in whether they will have to pay a fine for driving on summer tires? Someone thinks that they will carefully drive along the road and nothing bad will happen. And the other simply does not care about the laws and everyone around.
Penalty for driving summer tires in winter in Russia
In the technical regulations of the customs union, paragraph No. 5.5, in Appendix No. 8, on page 326 of document TRTS 018: 2011 "On the safety of wheeled vehicles", it says:
- it is forbidden to operate vehicles equipped with studded tires in summer: in June, July, August;
- it is forbidden to operate vehicles that are not equipped with special winter tires in winter: in December, January, February. Winter tires should be installed on all wheels of the vehicle;
- regional government bodies can change the terms of the ban, only in the direction of increasing the time, for the reason that in Magadan and the northern regions of Siberia, frosts begin several weeks earlier than in Krasnodar, Stavropol, Sochi and regions.
Law on winter tires in Moscow and central Russia
Russia is a member of the customs union. When to wear winter tires according to the law in the capital and the region?
Since January 2015, the technical regulation allows the use of summer tires in Moscow and central Russia from March to November.
Studded tires are allowed to be used from September to May. On all-season, non-studded Velcro, it is allowed to move on central roads all year round.
Law on winter tires in the Krasnodar Territory (Krasnodar and Sochi)
In the southern regions of Russia, there is often wet snow and snow crumbs, in which Velcro behaves better. The studded tire paddles well on snowy roads, while the Velcro is more effective on wet asphalt.
Studded tires are not recommended in these areas. Spikes spoil the wet asphalt. Tires designed for severe frosts wear off faster in warm winter. Traffic police officers can fine the driver 500 rubles for driving on an icy or snowy road on bald tires, the tread depth of which is less than 4 millimeters.
Law on winter tires in the Astrakhan region
According to the Federal Service for Hydrometeorology, environmental monitoring shows that every year the weather conditions are different. In addition, I are marked on the territory of our country; II; III climatic zones.
The temperature regime in different regions varies from 3 degrees to 50 degrees of frost in January and from zero to 35 degrees of heat in July. Average annual temperatures range from 15 to 30 degrees and more.
Given the serious temperature difference, the law on restrictive measures should be more seriously worked out. As for Astrakhan, it should be clarified to which climatic zone it belongs.
It is believed that this area belongs to the southern regions of the country. Winter begins here on November 15, spring from the first days of May. Therefore, it is recommended to use rubber from November 1-15 to May 15. If there were no high snowdrifts in the current year, you can ride on all-season, studless tires with deep tread and M + S mark, mud plus snow.
Some Astrakhan residents change summer tires for studded tires in October. They note that at temperatures below 5-7 degrees Celsius, summer tires become dull and hold the track worse, and the grip performance decreases.
Winter tires must be marked with a mountain sign with three peaks and a snowflake in the middle.
The rubber must be marked:
- M + S (mud plus snow);
- M&S (mud and snow);
- M S (mud snow).
In the absence of a wear indicator, the tread depth in winter (December, January, February) should not be less than 4 mm when driving on an icy and snow-covered track.
Obviously, drivers have to decide for themselves whether to change tires to studded ones or ride on Velcro all the time. If you have to move only on cleaned city asphalt, this is one thing, then all-seasons will cope with it. And if you have to travel more often in rural areas covered with snow, it is better to wear spikes.
Law on winter tires in the Rostov region
In the east and north of the Rostov region, the first frosts were recorded on November 15, 2018, and the first snow fell in some places. To avoid accidents on the roads, the State Traffic Inspectorate strongly recommends changing summer tires to winter ones early.
Of course, if the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius so early, the braking distance of summer tires increases, the rubber hardens, and the car becomes practically uncontrollable. The change of tires must be done in advance, preferably on November 1, so as not to stand in the queues of the tire service and not to celebrate the day of the tinsmith.
Law on winter tires in the Stavropol Territory
The southern part of the European part of Russia, the center of the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus is occupied by the Stavropol Territory. Due to the changeable relief, the nature and weather are varied here, the main zone is the steppe.
The temperate steppe belt provides a mild climate. It is moderately cold in winter, hot and dry in summer. There are frosts in the first half of May.
Due to this location of the region, it is better to wear winter tires from November 15 to May 15. And choose the type of tire according to the terrain. In the steppe and foothills, different tires are needed. A certain role is also played by the height of snowdrifts outside the city, and how the roads in the city are cleared. The car owner knows which area he travels more often.
Law on winter tires in Crimea
Summer tires manufacturers advise to remove summer tires at +4 degrees. According to the law, there is no specific deadline in Crimea for changing tires to winter tires. But the traffic police advises to do this on November 1, because the weather conditions of the peninsula are not very predictable. For the safety of travelers on a winter tire, it is advised to ride until March 31.
The maritime climate makes its own adjustments, sometimes unexpectedly and abruptly. In late autumn and early winter, there is often ice on the roads, both in the city and outside the city.
The terrain is mountainous in many places. To climb the icy serpentine road to Mount Ai-Petri, for example, is practically very difficult and dangerous. On summer tires, without spikes and chains, this is tantamount to suicide.
On the territory of Crimea, the owner of the car is not brought to administrative responsibility for not changing summer tires to winter ones.
Although the inconsistent weather begins here in mid-October, when the air reaches zero temperature in the morning, and heats up to 10 degrees in the afternoon. If the weather is still warm during the day, then at night the material of the summer tire dubs and does not hold the road. Drivers must take this fact into account.
Law on winter tires in the Belgorod region
Are summer tires fined in winter? The stories of heavy fines for not having a winter tire turned out to be grossly exaggerated. So far, the maximum that threatens a motorist for a bald tire is 500 rubles.
A cause for concern is the draft law submitted to the State Duma in January 2013. Vadim Tyulpanov, a member of the Federation Council, proposed introducing a fine of 5 thousand rubles if winter tires are not installed on the car from December 1 to March 1.
In an explanatory note, the senator noted that certain regions of the country can set their own terms for changing seasonal tires. The bill has not yet been adopted, so it has no legal force.
At the same time, a fine, ten times less, can be obtained if you use cars in December, January, February without tires marked M + S on all wheels, three mountain peaks, with a snowflake inside, when the tread is worn below 4 mm. This rule applies to the tread pattern of all-season tires.
The rest of the time, the driver must be guided by weather and temperature conditions. Everyone should remember that at temperatures below 6 degrees Celsius, the material of summer tires becomes tanned and the car skids. It is fraught with accidents.
Law on winter tires in the Nizhny Novgorod region
When is it legal to change your shoes to winter tires? Driving on summer tires is prohibited from January 1, 2015 according to the technical regulations of the vehicle, Appendix No. 8.
Some experts argue that the absence of an exact reference to the punishment in the Code of Administrative Offenses for driving in winter on summer tires, traffic police officers can abuse, bring other violations under the category of a list of malfunctions in which the operation of the car is prohibited.
In the Nizhny Novgorod region, it is necessary to wear winter tires according to the law on December 1, but it is advised to do this on November 1 or October 15-20 if winter is early. On the 20th of October in this region, the air temperature drops below minus 1 cold, which is already unacceptable for summer tires.
The traffic police strongly advises Nizhny Novgorod residents to fill in antifreeze liquids for the season, check the functioning of the wipers, the operation of headlights, windshield washers and the tire clutch on October 20.
Is studded tires obligatory in winter by law?
Taking into account some regional weather conditions, there are the following time periods for the use of rubber by law:
- Summer tires not marked M + S, etc., are used from March to November;
- Winter tires with studs and marked with the M + S sign can be used from September to May;
- Winter tires without studs with M S markings etc. are successfully used by drivers all year round.
Thus, if you have summer tires on your car without marking and you have winter tires with spikes in stock, then you need to replace them in the fall, between September and November.
Reverse tire changes should be carried out during the spring, from March to May.
So far there is only a draft of such a fine. When it is approved and adopted in the State Duma, only then will it be necessary to fear a fine. Then its size and conditions will be specified.
At the same time, responsibility is not removed from the driver who became the culprit of the accident, if in winter he rode a car with summer tires on wheels.
Is Velcro considered winter rubber by law?
All-season tires can only be used when they are marked with the appropriate markings: M + S; M M S and a three-headed mountain with a snowflake inside.
Outcomes:
- By law, you can change tires to winter tires from September to November;
- In practice, it is necessary to choose a specific date, taking into account the specific weather conditions of the region, but it is not recommended to do this later than November 15 - the unofficial date of replacement of summer tires;
- There is no penalty for using a summer or all-season tire in winter (December, January, February) in 2018 and 2019.
When to switch to winter tires? Experts, as well as car tire manufacturers, believe that it is necessary to change tires from summer to winter when the average daily temperature drops to +5 degrees. The issue of seasonal tire change is, first of all, a matter of personal safety, as well as the safety of other road users.
Some motorists, however, ignore the need to "change the shoes" of their "iron horse". Does the law provide for liability in this case?
Change of tires for winter - when is it legally?
A unified traffic order for the entire territory of the Russian Federation is established by the Traffic Rules. These Rules were approved by the Government Decree of 23.10.1993 No. 1090. When is it necessary to change tires for winter tires according to the law?
The obligation to change tires seasonally is not provided for by the Traffic Regulations or any special Law on winter tires in 2018-2019.
Penalty for winter tires
Despite the fact that traffic rules do not provide for the mandatory seasonal change of tires, we can talk about such a need with reference to the Technical Regulations of the CU. At the same time, despite the fact that the specified Technical Regulations answer the question of when to wear winter tires according to the law, there is no responsibility for ignoring the requirements of the regulations. The absence of fines for not using winter tires was confirmed by the traffic police.
Currently, they can be punished not for the absence of winter or summer tires, but for the non-compliance of tires with certain requirements. So, for example, the residual tread depth of summer tires (in the absence of wear indicators) for vehicles of categories M 1 and N 1 must be more than 1.6 mm, and for winter tires, as mentioned above, more than 4 mm. Tires cannot have external damages (punctures, cuts, breaks), exposing the cord, as well as delamination of the carcass, peeling of the tread and sidewalls. Tires must match the vehicle model in size or load capacity. It is also forbidden, for example, to install studded and non-studded tires on a vehicle at the same time (Section 5 of the List of faults and conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited, approved by Government Decree No. 1090 of 23.10.1993). If the traffic police inspector discovers any of these violations, the driver may face a warning or a fine of 500 rubles (part 1 of article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).
Is it obligatory to place the “Spikes” sign on the car if the car is “shod” in studded winter tires? We talked about this in more detail.
Looking ahead, we will immediately make a reservation that riding on summer tires in winter, as well as in summer in winter for 2020, is prohibited. But this ban does not apply from November 1, 2020, but from December to February inclusive. But let's talk about everything in order! So, in winter on summer tires: what is the fine for this today, what are the conditions, requirements and subtleties of the auto-law on summer tires in winter?
Can you ride summer tires in winter?
No, this is prohibited. Such a prohibition is regulated by the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union in its clause 5.5 in their "requirements for vehicles in operation" (Appendix 8 of the regulation). At the same time, this normative act clearly regulates the winter and summer months. The former are December, January and February, the latter are June, July and August.
At the same time, these months may differ if any region of Russia establishes its own rules, which is quite logical; and only in the direction of increase, which ... is completely illogical. Indeed, in the same Krasnodar Territory, winter tires may not be required at all. But alas, this is the law!
5.5. It is prohibited to operate vehicles equipped with tires with anti-skid spikes in the summer period (June, July, August).
It is prohibited to operate vehicles that are not equipped with winter tires. satisfying the requirements of paragraph 5.6.3 of this annex, in winter (December, January, February)... Winter tires are installed on all wheels of the vehicle.
The terms of the prohibition of operation can be changed upwards by regional authorities state administration of the member states of the Customs Union.
Thus, it is forbidden to ride summer tires in winter - in December, January and February (the terms may vary by regions). It is not necessary to change your shoes to winter tires from October 1st and November 1st.
Where can I find out about the increase in the ban in my city?
Alas, there is no way to unequivocally answer this question. For 2020, not a single region and city has changed the provisions of the Technical Regulations regarding summer tires in winter.
