Changing tires is mandatory for every road user, and this is no longer associated with the possibility of getting a fine, but with the need to ensure safety.
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What is the danger
Using the wrong type of tires on a car can lead to an emergency on the road and cause tragic consequences of an accident.
Risks associated with incorrect vehicle wheel fittings:
- Tire damage. Winter tires wear off on warm asphalt surfaces tens of times faster in the summer season.
- Increased braking distance due to increased sliding of winter tires on warm surfaces, and summer tires on icy surfaces.
- Skidding and risk of overturning due to insufficient grip and poor cornering.
What the rules say about use and when you need to “change your shoes”
The main document that establishes the rules for the use of rubber is the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011. Appendix No. 8, clause 5.5 states that in the summer months you cannot drive a car that has tires with studs, and in the winter months, you cannot drive a vehicle that is not equipped with winter tires in advance.
From December to February, different types of tires are allowed. The main thing is that they are marked “MS”, as well as a special icon: a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake in the middle. The abbreviation from English translates as “dirt and snow.”
These deadlines can be increased by regional authorities based on weather conditions, but they are not allowed to be reduced.
Thus, you need to change tires twice a year: in the off-season. The exact timing of the shift is not established, since in this matter it is better to focus on weather conditions. In Russia, they begin changing tires for winter on November 15th, and for summer tires on March 15th.
Some car enthusiasts advise changing summer tires to winter tires when the temperature drops below +5 degrees , as snow may fall or a sudden cold snap may occur, during which the road will freeze and the car will begin to slide.
Use of tires according to the season, in accordance with the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union.
The same regulations include the requirement that the installation of studded and non-studded tires simultaneously on the same vehicle is not permitted. Another rule applies to studded tires produced from 2021: the total number of studs must be 60 pieces. per meter of tread.
Tires for all seasons are allowed, but for use in winter they must bear the same marking - “MS”. Otherwise, you cannot install an “all-season” system in winter.
Penalties for winter tires in summer
Previously (until 2015), there were no fines for wearing winter tires in the summer and vice versa, but the increase in accidents and deaths on the roads forced the Government to think and draw up a regulation on the mandatory imposition of fines for such violations.
From the regulations regarding tires it is clear that a violation for which a fine must be imposed is driving on a winter tire during the three summer months and, conversely, on a summer tire in the winter. It is also illegal to use different types of tires on vehicle axles. It is also worth noting that there are some adjustments for regional climate.
Size
The fine that was planned to be introduced when considering the bill was two thousand rubles, but this norm was not introduced.
At this stage, people are fined for tires, based on an article from the Code of Administrative Offenses “on the non-compliance of transport with technical parameters” (Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). The fine for driving on winter tires in summer is five hundred rubles. There is no provision for an increase in the amount of punishment in case of repeated detection of non-compliance.
Discount
In order to prevent the accumulation of unpaid fines, the inspectorate offers a discount of fifty percent. This service works as follows: if an inspector fines a driver for a minor violation, then the owner of the car can pay only half of the fine due in the next twenty days.
Therefore, the penalty for inappropriate tires on wheels can be only 250 rubles.
When should you change tires?
So when should you change your tires? The legislator does not give an exact answer. Since the territory of the Russian Federation is huge, the timing of replacement is considered individually by the regional leaders themselves.
For example, in the southern regions of our country spring comes earlier than in the northern regions. Therefore, residents of the south should take care of changing tires in advance. In addition, the trend in recent years in the central and northern regions of Russia towards worsening weather conditions in the autumn and spring continues. Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with ice in April and snow in May. Therefore, the decision on the onset of the summer season is made in every corner of the Russian Federation based on the climate.
From what date must the replacement be made in order not to receive a fine?
Drivers are often interested in the date on which traffic police inspectors have the right to impose a fine for driving on winter tires in the summer. It is logical to assume that traffic police inspectors have the right to administrative penalties from June 1st. But it is advisable to replace tires when consistently high air temperatures occur in the absence of night frosts.
To avoid getting a fine for wearing winter tires in the summer, it is better not to be lazy and promptly change the tires on your car in the spring.
Types of rubber
There are three main types of shoes for wheels:
- Summer.
- Winter.
- All-season.
Summer tires
The main indicators that you need to focus on when choosing tires for the summer season are the tread pattern and its height.
If the height is clear, no one will sell new tires with a height lower than that required by traffic regulations (an exception may be the purchase of used tires), then based on the type of pattern, tires are distinguished into:
- the symmetrical tread pattern is a classic and the most common model for driving on dry surfaces;
- the asymmetrical pattern has better traction and drains water from under the tires more efficiently;
- An incorrect, incomprehensible pattern on the wheels suggests that water is drawn out from under the car in different directions, which provides better traction.
Winter tires
Divided into two subspecies:
- studded;
- without thorns;
- universal (with the ability to insert spikes).
Which type to buy depends on the driver’s experience and terrain conditions. Studded wheels are a lifesaver during icy conditions and frost, but when driving on dry asphalt they can damage the surface, wear out a lot and slip. Also, in different situations, such tires have different braking distances.
Rubber without studs is not inferior to studded tires when driving on snowy roads, but eliminates the possibility of wheel locking when driving on dry terrain.
All-season
Rubber, which is designated as rain. A special feature of tires is the location of the patterns and the depth of the treads. The function of these wheels is to quickly remove water from under the car during the rainy seasons, thereby improving traction.
Penalty for studded tires
In addition to the ban on the use of seasonal tires, a change was made regarding the use of studded tires:
- Tires with spikes must be installed on all wheels of the car.
- Do not use tires with spikes in summer.
The maximum number of spikes per meter should be 60 pieces. This requirement applies to tires manufactured after January 1, 2016. Of course, it is possible to allow the use of a large number of studs if it is proven that they do not provoke asphalt wear and provide full traction characteristics.
Will there be a fine for wearing studded tires? Regarding fines for using such a tire, there are none. There is only a fine for driving without a studded sign if you have studded tires. You will have to pay 500 rubles .
Tire requirements
Everything is actually individual and is purchased at the discretion of the car owner.
But there are basic indicators, due to non-compliance with which I apply penalties:
- During the three months of flight, the height of the tire tread on the wheels of the car must be at least 1.6 millimeters.
- In the winter season, the height of the gutters on the rubber should be higher than 4 millimeters.
The inspector cannot fine for the presence of studs when driving in dry winter weather or with a tread pattern suitable for rainy weather.
If there are these weather inconsistencies, a traffic police officer can explain to the driver the possible risks and advise him to continue driving with greater caution, especially when driving during heavily congested roads, as in Moscow.
What are you ready to punish for?
And yet, for what and to what extent can a driver be punished? When amendments to the law on penalties for driving on off-season tires were just being developed, it was estimated at 2,000 rubles, but this amount was not approved, and now the fine is 500 rubles, and the wording will be as follows - for operating a vehicle that does not meet technical requirements.
In the Traffic Rules and the favorite legislative document of the traffic police - the Code of Administrative Offenses - there is no direct article about the need to change tires from summer to winter or a ban on the summer use of studded tires. But the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union are a document establishing the norms of international law, and they cannot be ignored. Along with Russian laws, it is mandatory for implementation on the territory of our country.
Currently, the Code of Administrative Offenses does not contain references to the Technical Regulations, therefore, a driver cannot be punished for not having winter tires. So far there is only a draft of these changes to the law. But there is a penalty for worn-out winter tires, since there are legally established standards:
- The tread height of summer tires is not less than 1.6 mm;
- winter tread height (minimum, in the most worn place) - no less than 4 mm.
When to change
The period for changing tires is legally established in the technical regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of wheeled vehicles.”
From the document it follows that:
- Spikes cannot be used in the summer. Tires with high treads are replaced with lighter ones (summer or all-season) during daytime temperatures from +7 - +8 degrees in the absence of night frosts over the last three days.
- Winter tires should be on the car if the air temperature does not reach +5 degrees.
The tire change time may be slightly adjusted due to the climate in a particular region.
You can change tires either at a service center or on your own if you have the necessary skills.
Fines for using winter tires
Changes in the Customs Union have brought a lot of new things to Russian drivers. Regarding the issues of using rubber TR CU 018/2011, the changes are as follows:
There is no concept of off-season tires.- From December to February it is allowed to use winter tires, and from June to August - summer, non-studded ones.
- In summer, the use of tires with spikes is prohibited.
- Tread wear standards must be met.
- You can change the forbidden months to use seasonal tires.
If we talk about the amount of the fine, this was discussed for a long period of time. At first the amount of 5,000 rubles was indicated, but then they set 500 rubles for the use of winter tires in the summer. This is stated in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, Part 1 .
What is not recommended to do
When choosing tires, many may give preference to tires that do not match the parameters of the car.
It is forbidden:
- Put tires of the wrong diameter on the wheels.
- Change standard-sized wheels to smaller ones or, conversely, larger ones.
- Install studs on a universal tire yourself.
The purpose of changing tires seasonally is to ensure safe driving. You should not neglect this responsibility, because we are not talking about a five hundred ruble fine, but about people’s lives.
