When to change summer tires to winter tires in 2021

When is it legal to change your shoes to winter tires in 2021?

Winter in Russia, as always, creeps up unexpectedly. And although September is just ending, many are already looking for information on when to change tires to winter ones.

Many people do not know that the deadlines for switching to winter tires in Russia are now established by law. When is it better to change your car's shoes for the winter in 2021 - recommendations from weather forecasters, traffic police

The “Ш” sign was canceled or not in 2021 Where to put the Spikes sign according to the rules of 2021 The Spikes sign was canceled or not in 2021 When to change summer tires to winter ones in 2021

When to change your winter tires in 2021

Starting from mid-autumn, drivers are faced with the pressing question of when to change tires. As a rule, the best option is +5° C. According to weather forecasters, at this temperature precipitation falls in the form of snow or ice grains. Therefore, under such weather conditions, icy conditions are just around the corner.

Driving on asphalt with an icy crust on summer tires is prohibited, and from a safety point of view it is risky. Thus, for cars in winter you need to use special tires. In addition to this, it is allowed to install studs or all-season tires, which are “M&S” or simply “MS”. In this case, you need to pay attention to the tread depth, which should be at least 4 mm.

It is legally established that you need to use winter tires from December to February, but in some regions this period may change upward depending on weather conditions.

When is it legal to change summer tires to winter tires in 2021?

Many still do not know that on January 1, 2015, the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union “On the safety of wheeled vehicles” came into force. This document contains Appendix No. 8, which sets out the legal requirements for tire seasonality. According to the regulations, in winter (December, January, February) winter tires must be installed on the car. That is, according to the law, you need to change tires to winter ones no later than December 1, 2021. Even fewer people know that there is no fine for failure to change tires in Russia yet. However, on December 1, winter is already in full control over most of Russia, so when changing tires you should be guided by common sense, and not regulations.

When, according to Russian laws, is it necessary to change summer tires to winter ones?

There is no clear decree in the country on the mandatory change of a set of tires that is suitable for the summer period to a winter one. Basically, drivers are guided by the technical regulations of the Customs Union, which indicate the expected date of installation of tires intended for driving in winter. Drivers who are concerned about their own lives and the health of their passengers, as well as the safety of other road users, must change the kit no later than December 1 of the current year.

When stopping a vehicle, traffic police officers do not have the right to issue a fine if the driver is driving in a vehicle that has not changed shoes, for example, on December 2, since regulations have not yet been developed in the country to financially punish violators.

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.

When should you change tires in 2021?

During the change of seasons, one interesting meteorological feature is observed: when the thermometer shows +5 degrees or less, then precipitation, no matter what its type is indicated in the weather forecaster, as a rule, already occurs in the form of snow and ice grains.

This means that icy conditions will not be long in coming. So drivers should be very attentive to the condition of the road surface, especially in the morning, in order to change tires on time.

It is prohibited to drive a car with summer tires on asphalt covered with an icy crust. In turn, a winter set of tires will be appropriate only at +5 degrees Celsius and below.

In winter, only winter tires are allowed. You can also install studded or all-season tires, which are marked with the letters “M+S”, “M&S” or simply “MS”. In this case, a mandatory condition must be met: the tread depth is at least 4 mm.

The laws stipulate that the minimum mandatory service life of winter tires is three winter months: December, January and February. At the same time, the authorities of each individual region can extend it, for example, by adding November or March. Local officials do not have the right to reduce this period.

Table of permissible periods of use of various types of rubber by month:

Traffic police officers note: in accordance with traffic rules, it is prohibited to simultaneously install studded and non-studded tires on a vehicle. This combination can cause the vehicle to behave unexpectedly while driving.

It is also prohibited to operate a vehicle if there are tires on the same axle that differ in size, type, tread pattern or degree of wear. The last criterion requires especially careful attention.

Every driver should know that the best value for the tread depth of winter tires is 8 mm. If it is reduced by at least 2 mm, the braking distance becomes longer by 20%, and if the tread depth is reduced to 4 mm, then by as much as 70%.

When to change tires for winter in 2021? — general 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.

Procedure and timing for changing tires

The procedure and specific timing for switching to seasonally appropriate tires depends on the weather in your region, as well as local regulations.

For passenger cars

According to the law, passenger cars must use wheels without studs only in the summer - from June 1 to August 31. However, the timing may be changed in accordance with the regional climate. There is also a ban on driving on summer tires in winter - from December 1 to the end of February. And here regional authorities can regulate the deadlines.

For trucks

There is a specific procedure for changing tires for trucks, with adjustments made for regional climatic conditions. This situation is fraught with a number of misunderstandings: for example, a truck traveling from Krasnodar to Khabarovsk must undergo tire changes several times during the journey.

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In addition to established seasonality standards, there are several other reasons for replacing tires:

jumpers have become clearly visible on the tread, which indicates that the rubber is unsuitable for further use;
tread depth is less than 1.6 mm (for summer tires) and less than 4 mm for winter tires;
The studded tires are significantly worn out; some of the studs are noticeably missing.

If at least one of the listed factors is detected, the tires on the truck must be replaced.

When should you change your car to winter tires in 2021? 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.

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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.

From December 1, 2021, all drivers are required to switch to winter tires

From December 1, 2021, all drivers are required to switch to winter tires. According to the relevant regulatory act, which regulates the timing of changing summer to winter coverage, the use of a car that does not meet the requirements is prohibited. Violation is subject to a fine, as well as confiscation of the driver’s license or vehicle.

Even fewer people know that there is no fine for failure to change tires in Russia yet. However, on December 1, winter is already in full control over most of Russia, so when changing tires you should be guided by common sense, and not regulations.

Last year, the Ministry of Emergency Situations called on motorists in several districts of the Moscow region to be vigilant, because snowfalls would not be long in coming, and the situation on the roads would be tense on October 21-22.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations named the areas of the Moscow region in which the first snow should still fall on Saturday, October 21, before the evening. According to rescuers, October snowfalls will be in the Dmitrovsky and Mozhaisk districts of the Moscow region, so motorists in these areas should be especially careful on the roads, and pedestrians should not lose their vigilance either.

Earlier, representatives of the traffic police noted that frosts are gradually coming to Russian cities, and therefore motorists need to change summer tires to winter ones for their own safety.

In 2021, in Chapter 12 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offences, there are no instructions regarding fines for the lack of winter tires. But there is a fine for using tires in winter whose wear exceeds the established standards, namely, if at the most worn place the tread depth is less than 4 mm. Summer tires that have traveled a sufficient number of kilometers often have a tread depth less than the specified value.

It turns out that the use of such tires in winter is subject to a fine for this very reason. The same rule applies to winter tires. Thus, there is a fine for not having winter tires from December 1 to the end of February, and it amounts to 500 rubles. So, from the article we can conclude that the legislation does not clearly indicate at what temperature car tires should be replaced.

In accordance with traffic regulations, it is prohibited to install both non-studded and studded tires on a vehicle. Using a vehicle is also prohibited if the same axle is equipped with tires of different sizes, with different tread patterns, as well as new and reconditioned, new and with deep tread patterns.

It is worth remembering that the optimal tread depth for a winter tire is 8 mm. When it is reduced to 6 mm, the braking distance increases by 20%, and to 4 mm – by one and a half times. With a tread depth of 2 mm, the braking distance increases by 70%.

There is a fine for using worn-out winter tires - 500 rubles. Moreover, a fine is imposed if the car is operated on an icy or snowy road surface.

At first glance, they can be distinguished purely visually. The winter version has a rougher and deeper tread, as well as a completely different pattern, which, as a rule, is not similar to the pattern of summer tires; it also has studs for good grip on winter roads, for example, with ice (by the way, there are a lot of them now species). But the difference lies not only in the design and the presence of spikes, everything is much more complicated here.

Summer tires are made from a specific rubber compound that can withstand very high temperatures above zero. Asphalt is quite hot in summer, so the wheels must withstand these temperatures during acceleration and braking. It should be noted that it is much tougher than winter. But when the temperature drops below zero, summer tires become completely inelastic; a car on such wheels can easily skid.

A simple example: place a regular eraser in the snow in the cold and leave it for two to three hours. Then take an eraser and try to bend it. The eraser will lose its elasticity and break easily. The same thing happens with the summer version in the cold, it becomes dull and wears out very quickly, and it’s simply impossible to drive on such tires.

The winter version also has a certain composition, only the focus here is completely different. Winter does not please us with warm days; the thermometer is almost always in the sub-zero zone, sometimes even exceeding -35. And the task of tires is to remain elastic in such frosts and provide maximum grip on the road.

The difference between winter tires and their opponents is their softness, that is, they are much softer than summer tires. And the high tread and studs or Velcro already fight snow and ice. Therefore, it looks much more massive, with a high tread. You just need something to grip and dig into the snow. However, it is absolutely not adapted to above-zero temperatures, and especially to rain. A car with spikes in puddles is like a “cow on ice”; it is difficult to control. And hot asphalt quickly wears out soft winter tires.

Try to heat the same eraser and run it across the asphalt; it will leave behind a trail of small pieces of rubber; when heated, it collapses very quickly. Roughly the same thing happens with a tire; its soft base literally melts in the heat of hot asphalt.

Penalty for summer tires in winter

The provision of the Customs Union banning the use of summer tires in the winter season was approved two years ago, but it has not yet been reflected in the Administrative Code. Those. Formally, no penalties or fines are provided for violating the requirements for the timing of installation of a winter set of tires.

However, drivers should not forget that the traffic police officer has the right to issue a fine for worn tires, which currently amounts to 500 rubles, or, at best, issue a simple warning.

Thus, from the beginning of December, all cars on Russian roads must be “re-shod.” But, most likely, weather conditions will force motorists to change their tires to winter ones much earlier.