Throughout 2015, car enthusiasts discussed a new bill on how winter tires should be used. The law is passed or not, many drivers still do not know. That is why it is important to understand this issue. Moreover, a violation of traffic rules entails the imposition of fines.
Winter tires law
First of all, you need to understand what kind of law this is about changing rubber for winter and what are its main provisions. It is important to know that this is the name of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union, which was adopted on January 1, 2015. It establishes requirements for the safe use of vehicles.
From this moment, it is forbidden to use tires designed for winter driving and equipped with spikes in summer. And, on the contrary, in the winter it was forbidden to ride on summer wheels. Moreover, the law establishes a requirement that all wheels must be replaced at the same time.
However, the law on winter tires has a large number of disadvantages. One of the most significant is the fact that there are no articles in it that would impose requirements on tires used in freight transport, as well as on buses.
In addition, it is not entirely clear how rubber will be checked for compliance with the requirements specified in the law. Only technical inspection points have the appropriate authority. However, new cars are exempt from this obligation.
Why should you change tires on time
Understanding when to install winter tires according to the law, it is necessary to understand why it is so important to comply with the requirements of this normative act. The main objective of the development of the Technical Regulations is to improve road safety.
Untimely installation of winter tires can lead to a number of problems:
- increasing the length of the braking distance significantly increases the likelihood of accidents;
- a decrease in speed leads to traffic jams;
- the car is skidded, because even not too steep climbs can not overcome it.
Wheel Operating Rules
The Winter Tire Law sets out specific rules for tire operation:
- In summer, it is forbidden to use rubber that is equipped with spikes. The ban period is from June to August.
- In winter, from December to February, you can not drive cars that are not equipped with winter tires.
- All year round you can use a special studless rubber (the so-called Velcro). It must be labeled with the letters M and S.
- Depending on the climate, local authorities have the right to change the terms of use of different types of rubber. You can only change them in a big way.
- The tread depth in winter should be at least 4 mm, and in summer - 1.6 mm.
Types of winter tires
Usually there are two types of winter tires - with spikes and Velcro. Each of these types of tires has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The so-called Velcro is made of special quality rubber. It is very soft and resistant to lower temperatures. This ensures a better grip. Such tires can be said to adhere to the road surface. They are best suited for use in regions with a mild climate, as well as in urban environments. However, Velcro has a longer braking distance than studded tires. In addition, they perform worse on ice and snow.
The safest is considered rubber with spikes. They are great for extreme cold. At the same time, excellent adhesion of studded wheels to the road can significantly reduce the braking distance. Such rubber shows itself well on an icy road, as well as covered with wet snow. These wheels have much worse performance when used on wet asphalt. However, such wheels also have disadvantages. They are quite heavy and when driving at high speed, they are very noisy. In addition, the spikes are very quickly erased, fuel consumption during their operation increases.
Tire Life
An important requirement is not only when to put winter tires. By law, it is also important that the tread depth is at the required level. Therefore, you need to know how long you can use and how to increase the life of tires.
It is impossible to calculate how long the tread will become unusable. This can only be determined during use. Stud tires are the fastest to wear. They can be used no more than three seasons. Velcro can be used much longer. All season tires last the longest. However, they should not be used in extreme weather conditions: in extreme heat or in frost.
Thus, it is impossible to predict how long a tire comes into conflict with the law. However, there is a way to extend their useful life. To do this, you should not ride on wheels that are not appropriate for the season.
Tire category confirmation
The law recommends determining which category the (winter / summer) tires belong to on the basis of the relevant certificates. They are required to receive every manufacturer.
As for the so-called all-season tires, the law does not contain any information on how to certify such rubber. But manufacturers have found a way out - they issue two categories of certificates on the same tires at once. One confirms the possibility of their use in the summer, the other in the winter.
All winter tires will soon receive special markings in the form of mountain ranges. This badge is an international confirmation that the tires are made of special Arctic rubber, which is designed for use at low temperatures.
What rubber was outlawed?
It's no secret that car tires with spikes spoil the road surface. That is why the countries of the Customs Union have set standards on how many studs winter tires should contain. Russia supported this law.
The only difference is the number of studs per linear meter. In Europe, the size of this indicator is allowed at the level of 50. In Russia, it was increased by 10.
Thus, the manufacturer will have to prove the conformity of the number of spikes to the standards. For this, a specialized test site is traditionally used. In order to determine if tires comply with the established standards, a car passes a certain section of the road 100 times at a speed of 100 km / h. After that, we strictly weigh a specific section of the road and compare the result with the weight before the test. If the result is in line with established standards, the tested tires meet the requirements.
Today, the rubber check procedure is widely used in European countries. However, in Russia such testing laboratories do not exist.
As a result, it is not possible to check tire compliance. It turns out that in winter you can use almost any rubber with spikes.
When to change tires?
If you remember the rules for the operation of wheels established in regulatory enactments, the question of when the tires are changed for winter tires by law will be automatically removed. To avoid disagreements with the traffic police, this must be done before December 1. Back tires should be reinstalled before June 1st.
But do not forget about the safety requirements. In accordance with them, the administratively established period in which the transition to winter tires is not always advisable. The law indicates only recommended periods, but in life should be guided by common sense. Regarding the timing of replacing tires, there are the following recommendations:
- Winter tires should be installed when the road has been covered with ice several times. Changing wheels for winter is not always advisable immediately after the first frosts that occur in Russia even in September. Keeping a car on a slippery road is not easy. Therefore, do not pull too much with replacing summer tires with winter tires, waiting for the snow to completely cover the ground.
- You should not hurry to get rid of winter tires. You should wait for the moment when there will be no ice on the road even at night.
Punishment for non-compliance with the requirements of the law
Those who do not comply with the winter tires law are not expected to be punished. The fact is that at the moment there are no penalties for late replacement of tires.
Nevertheless, the Code of Offenses establishes that when using worn-out automobile tires, the car owner is threatened:
- warning from the traffic police officer;
- a fine of 500 rubles.
In this case, the employee who identified the offense can directly choose from these options. In practice, a driver rarely manages to limit himself to a warning. Most often, traffic inspectors issue a receipt for a fine. It can also encourage the car owner to comply with the dates when winter / summer tires should be replaced. The law is designed to improve road safety.
Thus, compliance with the new law on the use of winter tires will not only save you from fines. By listening to them, you can significantly improve road safety.