The law on winter tires. New requirements for car tires

In 2015, motorists discussed a new bill on how winter tires should be used. The law is adopted or not, many drivers still do not know. That is why it is important to understand this issue. Moreover, the violation of the rules of the SDA entails the imposition of fines.

The law of winter rubber

First of all, it is necessary to understand what kind of law it is for changing rubber to winter tires 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 as early as January 1, 2015. It establishes requirements for the safe use of transport.

From this moment it is forbidden to use summer tires intended for driving in winter and equipped with spikes. And, on the contrary, it was forbidden to go on summer wheels in the winter. At the same time, the law stipulates that all wheels must be replaced at the same time.

However, the law on winter tires has a large number of shortcomings. One of the most significant is the fact that it does not contain articles that would require requirements for tires used for freight transport, as well as for buses.

In addition, it is not entirely clear how the compliance of rubber with the requirements specified in the law will be checked. The corresponding authorities are available only at technical inspection points. However, new cars are exempt from such a duty.

Why should I change the rubber in time?

When analyzing when putting winter tires under 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 may entail a number of problems:

• Increasing the length of the braking distance significantly increases the probability of accidents;
• Decrease in speed of movement leads to formation of congestion on roads;
• The car is stalled, because they can not overcome even not too steep climbs.

Wheel rules

The law on winter rubber sets certain rules for the operation of tires:

1. In summer it is forbidden to use rubber, which is equipped with spikes. The ban period is valid from June to August.
2. In winter, from December to February, you can not drive cars that are not equipped with winter tires.
3. All year round you can use special non-studded rubber (so-called velcro). It should be marked with the letters M and S.
4. Depending on the climate, local authorities have the right to change the terms of use of different types of rubber. You can change them only in the larger side.
5. The depth of the tread in winter should be at least 4 mm, and in the summer - 1.6 mm.

Types of winter tires

Usually, two types of winter rubber are distinguished - with spikes and Velcro. Each of these types of tires has its advantages and disadvantages.

The so-called Velcro is made of special quality rubber. It is very soft and resistant to a drop in temperature. This allows you to ensure a better grip on the road. These tires, you can say, stick to the road surface. They are best suited for use in regions with a harsh climate, and also in urban conditions. However, Velcro will have a longer braking distance than studded tires. In addition, they show themselves worse on ice and snow.

It is considered the safest rubber with spikes. They are great for extreme frosts. At the same time, excellent grip of studded wheels with the road makes it possible to significantly reduce the braking distance. This rubber shows itself well on the icy road, and also covered with wet snow. Much worse indicators for such wheels when operating on wet asphalt. However, such wheels have drawbacks. They are quite heavy and very loud when driving at high speed. In addition, the spikes are very quickly erased, fuel consumption during their operation increases.

Tire life

An important requirement is not only when putting winter tires. By law it is also important that the depth of the tread is the required level. Therefore, you need to know how long you can use and how to improve the life of tires.

Calculate, after what time the protector will become unusable, it is impossible. This can only be determined during use. The fastest tire wear is exposed. They can be used no more than three seasons. Velcro can last much longer. All-season tires last the longest. However, they should not be used in extreme weather conditions: extreme heat or frost.

Thus, to predict, through how much the tire will come in inconsistency with the law, it is impossible. However, there is a way to extend the useful use time. To do this, do not go to the off-season wheels.

Confirmation of the tire category

Determine which category is (winter / summer) rubber, the law recommends based on the relevant certificates. Each producer is obliged to receive them.

As for the so-called all-season tires, the law does not have any information on how to certify such tires. But the manufacturers found a way out - they are for the same tires issue two categories of certificates at once. One confirms the possibility of their use in the summer, the other in the winter.

On all winter tires in the near future there will be a special marking in the form of mountain ranges. This icon 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 corrupt the road surface. That is why the countries of the Customs Union have set standards on how many thorns must contain winter tires. Russia supported this law.

The only difference is the number of spikes per running 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 correspondence of the number of spikes established in the regulations. For this purpose, a specialized test site is traditionally used. To determine the compliance of tires with the established specifications, a car travels 100 times a certain section of the road at a speed of 100 km / h. After that we weigh a strictly defined section of the road and compare the result with the weight before the test. If the result fits into the established specifications, the tires to be tested comply with the requirements.

To date, the procedure for testing rubber is widely used in European countries. However, there are no such test laboratories in Russia.

As a result, it is not possible to check the tires for compliance. It turns out that in winter you can use almost any rubber with spikes.

When to change the rubber?

If you remember the rules of operation of the wheels, set in regulations, the question of when changing tires to winter by law, will be automatically lifted. To avoid disagreements with the traffic police, it is necessary to do this before December 1. Back tires should be reinstalled before June 1.

But do not forget about the security requirements. In accordance with them, it is not always expedient to set an administrative deadline for the transition to winter tires. The law indicates only the recommended terms, but in life one should be guided by common sense. Regarding the timing of tire replacement, there are the following recommendations:

• Put winter tires should be when the road was covered with ice a few times. To change wheels to winter ones is not always expedient right after the first frosts, which happen in Russia even in September. Keep the car on a slippery road is not easy. Therefore, do not pull too much with the replacement of summer tires on winter tires, waiting until the snow completely covers the ground.
• Get rid of winter tires should not be rushed. It is necessary to wait for the moment when there will not be ice on the road even at night.

Punishment for non-compliance with the law

Those who do not comply with the law on winter tires, do not expect punishment. The fact is that at the moment there are no penalties for untimely replacement of tires.

Nevertheless, the Code on Offenses established that when using worn-out car tires, the car owner is threatened:

• Warning from the traffic police officer;
• A fine of 500 rubles.

At the same time, it is up to the employee who identified the offense to choose from these options. In practice, the driver rarely succeeds in limiting himself to a warning. Most often, traffic inspectors issue a receipt for payment of a fine. This can also stimulate the car owner to comply with the deadline for winter / summer tires to be replaced. The law is designed to increase the level of safety on the road.

Thus, compliance with the requirements of the new law on the use of winter tires will not only save you from paying fines. Listening to them, you can significantly improve safety on the road.