Is it true that a ban on summer tires will be introduced from November 11?

• 1. When should I change my car’s shoes in winter 2021? 1.1. What does the law say?
• 1.2. Are there only summer tires until December?

There is a law on winter tires in winter in Russia. And this is not the first year. This means that you will need to change to winter tires for the 2021 season. All that remains is to figure out when it is necessary to change tires, from what date it is prohibited to drive a car with summer tires: from October, November or December and what the fine will be if you do not change them in a timely manner, as well as what can be considered winter tires and other requirements for them.

When should you change your car's shoes in winter 2021?

According to official law, from December 1, 2021. If somewhere you see data that you need to change to winter tires from November 1 or even October or in other dates in the legislative context, then this is not true.

The legislation clearly and precisely defines the terms within which it is necessary to use only winter tires:

• December (not November),
• January,
• February 2021.

In general, this is all you need to know about the law on winter tires and the timing of their replacement in Russia. If you need “proofs”, then they are lower! It is also important to know the specific requirements for winter tires on your car.

What does the law say?

Here's what:

5.5... It is prohibited to operate vehicles that are not equipped with winter tires that meet the requirements of paragraph 5.6.3 of this appendix during the winter period (December, January, February). Winter tires are installed on all wheels of the vehicle. The terms of the operation ban may be changed upward by regional government bodies of the member states of the Customs Union.

This is an excerpt from the Technical Regulations. The same is written in the traffic rules. As you can see, there is no November, and regarding the time when you need to switch to winter tires, there are 2 important subtleties:

1. paragraph 5.5 of the regulations refers to another - 5.6.3 in terms of meeting the requirements for winter tires, even if installed within the period prescribed by law,
2. Regional administrations can apply their own rules when changing a car to winter tires.

Regarding the last point, we have good news for you - as of 2021, not a single region of Russia has changed the general procedure for tire replacement periods, and throughout the country you need to wear winter tires starting from the first day of December.

But we need to pay a little more attention to the first point - this is where we are given clear criteria for what winter tires are according to the law in principle. And let's find out!

Are there only summer tires until December?

Of course no. For summer tires, the requirements do not apply to the entire remaining 9 months. It is simply prohibited to drive on winter tires during the summer months - June, July and August, this is prescribed by the same paragraph 5.5 of the Technical Regulations. So, in October or November, for example, you can drive either summer or winter tires.

When to install winter tires according to the 2021 law - subtleties and nuances of the legislation

With the approach of winter cold, any motorist begins to think about preparing his own vehicle for the cold, cold wind, snow, ice, and himself for poor visibility and difficulties in driving a vehicle in conditions of poor grip on the road surface.

That is why the question becomes extremely relevant: when to wear winter tires 2021 and whether there are any legal instructions regarding this.

Indeed, the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union (TR CU) have a corresponding section called “On the safety of wheeled vehicles,” and failure to comply with it is fraught with unpleasant consequences, and most importantly, it is also dangerous for the life of the driver himself, as well as his passengers.

When to change tires to winter ones - recommendations from the traffic police

The traffic police advises car owners to change summer tires to winter ones when the average daily air temperature drops to 5-7°C for at least a week.

Changing tires in a timely manner will allow the driver to confidently cope with road situations associated with adverse weather conditions. This, in turn, will help to significantly reduce the number of road accidents, and therefore save the lives and health of road users.

Drivers also need to psychologically adapt to winter driving style. It is necessary to refrain from sudden lane changes and other maneuvers without ensuring their safety.

Also, do not forget about the need to maintain distance and lateral spacing between vehicles.

It is mandatory to drive a car with the external lights on at any time of the day or night; in bad weather, be sure to use fog lights; and in heavy fog, reduce the speed to the safest possible speed and drive with the hazard warning lights on.

Drivers need to be extremely careful when driving across bridges, railway crossings, at multi-level intersections of roadways and interchanges. It is also necessary to concentrate near pedestrian crossings, and when approaching a zebra crossing, reduce speed in advance, warns the traffic police.

When to change tires to winter tires - recommendations

Proponents of changing tires late most often motivate this by the fact that with an early change, tread wear increases and studs may fall out. Proponents of early tire change want to prepare for the season in advance and install winter tires while it is still warm enough.

Indeed, with prolonged use of winter tires at high temperatures, their wear increases, so if you install winter tires too early, their service life may decrease somewhat. On the other hand, if you want to install winter tires when the first snowfall occurs, there is every chance you won’t even get to the tire shop. How to find the golden mean?

The timing of replacement depends on whether you change the wheels yourself or entrust it to a tire service. If you change your tires at a tire shop, you should do it in advance, since when the temperature drops, the queues at these organizations grow like a snowball.

If you change the wheels yourself, then you can delay the installation of the winter kit a little. The timing of tire replacement varies from year to year. For example, in 2021 the author changed tires on October 16, in 2015 - on October 5.

In any case, it is better to be prepared in advance for changing tires. Even a small accident when snow falls unexpectedly, as always, will cost you more than a pair of lost studs or slightly more than usual tire wear.

Reasons to switch to winter tires early

Queues at the tire shop. The first reason why you should switch to winter tires earlier is the seasonal rush in tire shops. Traditionally, 90% of drivers leave changing tires until the last day, which is why after the first snow falls, there is a sharp rush and queues at tire shops. By changing tires in advance, you will avoid wasting time.

Running in winter tires. If you have installed a new set of winter tires (especially studded ones), they need to be broken in. For the first hundred kilometers, sharp braking, slipping, and driving at speeds over 80 km/h should be avoided. It's easier to break in your tires in advance, before snow falls.

Convenient tire replacement. If you have two sets of seasonal wheels and you change them without resorting to tire service, early tire replacement is also preferable for you. It is much more pleasant to change tires on the street under the October sun than after a week or two of digging under the car, sheltering from sleet, rain, unscrewing bolts with frozen fingers.

Prepare for the vagaries of the weather. The last but most important reason. If you changed your car's shoes in advance, then you are ready for any vagaries of the weather. Even if tomorrow morning the city is covered in ankle-deep snow, you can go out and go to work, watching as your neighbors try to get out of the parking lot on summer tires or stubbornly call an overloaded taxi line.

Important note!

• This article provides basic information, but each case is different.
• In 92% of all situations there are important nuances that can affect the outcome of the entire case.
• An experienced lawyer will study all the materials of the case and indicate in which direction to move.

Therefore, our website employs on-duty legal consultants who delve into each case and are aimed at solving it.

Ask a Question

or consult toll-free (Moscow), (St. Petersburg), 8 (all of Russia).

What tires are considered winter tires by law?

Everything is quite simple here too! The winter tires that you change from summer tires to December must have 2 essential attributes; without them, they are not considered winter tires, and you, therefore, violate the rules of the regulations:

• marking in the form of a mountain with 3 peaks and a snowflake inside,
• written designation with a combination of the letters M and S.

This is what the marking looks like:

This is what a real winter tire looks like with it:

And the law does not prescribe any differences for winter tires according to their type - be it studded tires, Velcro or all-season.

Other requirements

Another important requirement for winter tires is a limit on their wear. Specific figures are given in the traffic rules - 4 millimeters, this is the permissible remaining tread depth of winter tires. But there is an exception - if your tire is equipped with wear indicators, then you can use such tires until the last indicator.

Also among the requirements for any type of tires:

• absence of side cuts and cracks in which the cord is visible (if the cord is not visible, then you can ride),
• no tire delamination,
• the speed and weight index of the vehicle must correspond to
• all bolts or nuts on the wheels must be present,
• If the tires are studded, then the car must have a Studs sign.

How much does it cost to change summer tires to winter ones?

Owners of tire stations are already ready to receive crowds of customers and are looking forward to the time to change summer tires to winter ones. As you know, you cannot skimp on security, so we will take this process very seriously.

The cost of tire replacement includes:

• wheel removal;
• dismantling rubber;
• installation of tires according to the season;
• pumping, balancing;
• wheel installation.

The price of the service for replacing summer tires with winter tires depends on the diameter of the disc , based on the size of which a fee for dismantling, installation and balancing is charged. Here is the approximate cost of replacing tires at tire stations for cars of this class:

• A (micro auto);
• B (small cars);
• C (middle class);
• D (large family cars).

For vehicles of class E (business class), F (executive cars), S (sports coupe), M (minibuses), J (SUVs), the cost of services differs.

As we found out, the cost of tire replacement services depends on the class of the car and the diameter of the rims. You will have to pay additionally if the workshop is located closer to the city center, because renting premises there is more expensive than on the outskirts. procedure will take 20 minutes , after which you can feel confident on the road when winter comes. When do you change your shoes to winter tires?

What's the fine?

If you did not have time to change your shoes to winter tires in the 2021 season and are driving on summer tires, then... there will still be no fine!

The fact is that the Code of Administrative Offenses in force today provides for traffic police fines for violations of the Traffic Rules. But the obligation to change summer tires to winter ones is not specified in the traffic rules, but, as we quoted above, in the Technical Regulations. There are no penalties for violations of this regulatory act in 2021.

Information is being circulated online that as of December 1, 2021, a fine has been introduced for summer tires in winter. This is nothing more than a myth and you will not find official confirmation of it anywhere.

Everything is quite clear and simple here:

• There is no fine directly for the fact that you did not change your car to winter tires,
• but there are sanctions for non-compliance with tread depth and other requirements for winter tires.

What if a traffic police officer wants to fine you?

Then, with a high degree of probability, he is going to issue a resolution under Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. It provides for punishment in the form of a fine of 500 rubles for non-compliance with the Basic Provisions of the Traffic Regulations, namely, they contain the above requirements for tread depth after tire wear, the presence of a cord, the absence of nuts/bolts and others.

The resolution will say so - violation of clause 5.1 or other Basic Provisions for Vehicle Admission. But the majority of drivers, due to inattention, will not look at the regulation and will assume that they were given a fine for not changing their summer tires to winter ones. And even if they later see that the violation was replaced by a traffic police inspector, it will be difficult to prove the opposite.

When should you change your tires for winter in 2021? — traffic police recommendations

The traffic police advises car owners to change summer tires to winter ones when the average daily air temperature drops to 5-7°C for at least a week. Changing tires in a timely manner will allow the driver to confidently cope with road situations associated with adverse weather conditions. This, in turn, will help to significantly reduce the number of road accidents, and therefore save the lives and health of road users.

Drivers also need to psychologically adapt to winter driving style. It is necessary to refrain from sudden lane changes and other maneuvers without ensuring their safety. Also, do not forget about the need to maintain distance and lateral spacing between vehicles. It is mandatory to drive a car with the external lights on at any time of the day or night; in bad weather, be sure to use fog lights; and in heavy fog, reduce the speed to the safest possible speed and drive with the hazard warning lights on.

Drivers need to be extremely careful when driving across bridges, railway crossings, at multi-level intersections of roadways and interchanges. It is also necessary to concentrate near pedestrian crossings, and when approaching a zebra crossing, reduce speed in advance, warns the traffic police.