Traffic police statistics on road accidents every year suggest that the level of traffic safety on the roads does not change for the better. In 2017, 169,432 cases of road accidents were recorded, in 2018 - 151,291 cases of road accidents (excluding December statistics). A winter tire law in Russia could have a positive impact on the road situation by requiring drivers to install winter tires during months when the road surface is snowy or icy. Is there a law on summer and winter tires in 2019? What regulations establish the requirements for wheels and tires of cars? What liability do motorists face for failure to comply with established requirements?
What caused the law on winter tires?
The law on winter tires is actually a Technical Regulation of the Customs Union, which has been in force in Russia and other EAEU countries since 2015. The main purpose of the adoption of this document was to ensure the protection of human life and health by establishing specific requirements for the design, configuration and operation of vehicles.
Every car used on the territory of the Russian Federation must comply with the standards of the Technical Regulations. Manufacturers of cars and spare parts, just like motorists, must comply with the requirements of the official document. If they are not met, then in the first case the car simply will not pass certification, and in the second case the car owner will have to pay a fine if such liability is provided for by federal law.
Several attempts were made to introduce a separate new law on winter tires, but none of the proposed projects passed all readings in the State Duma. The latest initiative was bill No. 464241-6, introduced to deputies in March 2014. He proposed making the following changes to the Federal Law “On Road Traffic Safety” and the Code of Administrative Offenses:
- Cars must comply with the requirements of the Technical Regulations;
- Imposition of a fine of 2,000 rubles for non-compliance with the requirements established for tires and wheels.
In the explanatory note, the purpose of adopting such a law was to reduce accidents and ensure traffic safety on the roads. The initiators of the project cited examples when, due to “bald” tires during rain or snowfall, cars lost control, provoked emergency situations, and created traffic jams. The introduction of the bill was also due to the fact that the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation did not have a separate provision on the liability of drivers for untimely replacement of tires. Despite the relevance of the proposals and the significant goals pursued by this initiative, the bill on winter tires was withdrawn by the initiators during the first reading in June 2018. The motivation for this decision was the changes made to the Technical Regulations, namely clarifying the period during which cars must have winter tires and establishing a ban on the use of summer tires in winter.
Winter tire requirements for 2019
The requirements for vehicles in use, including wheels and tires, are established by Appendix No. 8 of the current Technical Regulations. The law on winter tires was amended from November 1, 2018 and supplemented with new provisions on the categories of cars on which it is necessary to install anti-skid tires, the period of use of such tires, as well as a number of prohibitions. According to the document, all motorists were required to switch to winter tires from December 1, 2018 and not “change shoes” for the next 3 months, unless otherwise provided by federal law. The technical regulations also contain the following requirements for winter tires:
- Installation on all wheels of the car (section 5.4). It is not allowed to use winter, summer and all-season tires on the same axle;
- Mandatory installation of winter tires on cars and trucks up to 3.5 tons;
- Prohibition on the use of tires with studs in summer (clause 5.5);
- Prohibition on driving a car in winter without winter tires (clause 5.5);
- The terms of use of winter tires may be changed by federal legislation;
- Prohibition on the use of winter tires with a residual pattern height of no more than 4 mm;
- The presence of markings in the form of mountain peaks and snowflakes in the center;
- Prohibition on the use of vehicles whose tires are damaged (cracks, bulges, etc.).
Clauses 5.6, 5.7, 5.8 of the Appendix establish general requirements prohibiting the use of certain tires. They concern tires that are unsuitable for use and the specifics of using retreaded tires. Certain provisions concern methods of fastening disks and their shape. The law on studded tires does not specify the exact date of installation of such tires on a car. This is largely due to the fact that the territory of the Russian Federation is quite vast and has significant differences in climate. But every driver must equip his car with winter tires before ice, ice and snow cover appear on the roads.
Fine for violating the law on winter tires
Since the law on winter tires was not in force in 2018, and its bill was not even considered, representatives of the traffic police or traffic police had no reason to issue fines for the lack of studded tires. In 2019, in accordance with Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offences, a motorist can be fined only for non-compliance of the wheels with the parameters stated in clause 5 of the Appendix to the Traffic Regulations. It contains several requirements regarding the condition of wheels and tires, similar to those in the Technical Regulations. Thus, the Regulations indicate that the residual depth of the winter tire pattern cannot be more than 4 mm, tires installed on the same car cannot have different tread patterns, different shapes, etc. Also, tires with and without studs cannot be installed on the same vehicle. For such violations, the owner of the car will be fined 500 rubles.
If the ambient temperature changes from minus to plus, the caring car owner immediately has a question about the temporary procedure for changing tires. Some car enthusiasts change tires earlier, while others “change their shoes” later. Therefore, many are wondering when to change winter tires to summer tires in 2017? About this in the article.
The Technical Regulations of the Customs Union “On the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles” stipulate that in the summer, in particular in June, July, and August, the use of winter tires (studded) is prohibited. If the tires do not have studs inserted, you can drive it in the summer. Moreover, the law states that you can drive on studded tires until the first of June without changing.
To determine the correct procedure for changing winter tires to summer tires, you need to determine the exact date. No one can name her. However, for the central part of the Russian Federation there is a date according to which all car owners are required to drive winter tires before this date. The legal date for switching to summer wheels is March 15th.
It all depends on individual weather conditions for each region and local laws. If sub-zero temperatures are expected even after this date, for your safety you should not change tires.
Rules for passenger cars
The main provisions of the law that determine the rules for the transition from winter to summer tires on cars are as follows:
- On January 1, 2015, amendments to the law regarding the term “winter tires” and its detailed meaning came into force. The amended articles refer to the permissible tread depth. However, there is no mention of seasonal tires when driving a vehicle;
- Penalties for shifting are permitted by law if the regulations of Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation have been violated. That is, if the current wheels do not comply with the technical regulations, changes to which are prescribed in the articles. The police inspector may not draw up a report, but simply issue a verbal warning;
- The new technical regulations of the law have come into force. The conditions specified in it apply to summer and winter tires. In summer you cannot drive on studded tires from June to August, and in winter on summer tires from December to February. In accordance with the climatic conditions of individual regions, the shift date may be changed. So far, there is no penalty for such a violation according to the latest legal provisions.
Therefore, the period for changing from winter tires to summer tires is determined individually, depending on the region and climatic conditions.
Procedure for changing tires for trucks
According to the law, changes in the timing of tire changes will also affect trucks. Regional authorities independently determine the period during which only one type of wheel can be used. At the same time, experts say that deadlock situations cannot be avoided.
For example, in order for a truck driver to cover the distance from Sochi to Murmansk, he must change from one type to another several times. Experts in the field of creating legislative norms are proposing changes to the law that will determine the exact date for changing tires.
You should also change the truck's tires if they are unsuitable for subsequent use. There is a procedure for determining tire change indicators:
- Jumpers are visible on the tread;
- A tool is used or determined by eye;
- The depth of the pattern for summer tires must be at least 1.6 millimeters, for winter tires - at least 4 millimeters;
- The degree of wear on studded tires is determined by the number of studs remaining.
If at least one of the above requirements does not comply with the law, the tires on trucks need to be changed.
Time limits for wheel replacement according to law
A bill was passed in 2017. Now car owners are required to change their tires at a strictly designated time - December 1st. But if the tires have already been changed before this date, this is not considered a violation of the law. You can drive with winter tread until the first of March. Once it occurs, you can change the shoes of the vehicle. However, in some regions of Russia it is recommended to change shoes on March 1 or later. By this date, weather conditions become more resistant to changes.
Fines
It should be noted that there are no penalties for summer tires. This provision is not in the Federal Law. Therefore, rumors that there is a penalty for late shifts are refuted.
If we are talking about punishment for driving on winter tires in the summer, here, when developing the project, it was planned to fine up to 2,000 rubles. However, the initiative is not confirmed by the State Duma. As the Code of Administrative Offenses states, a fine can only be imposed if the fine does not comply with the technical requirements of the law. Size - 500 rubles.
MOSCOW, October 19 - RIA Novosti, Alexey Zakharov. A fine for out-of-season tires may be introduced in Russia. It can amount to two thousand rubles. Currently, the fine for using worn tires is 500 rubles. The State Duma plans to consider the bill in the first reading on October 21. When is it worth changing tires and how to avoid getting a fine? About this - in the material of RIA Novosti.
Substitution season
When to change tires on a car from summer to winter and vice versa? The answer to the question depends not only on the region and natural conditions. The technical regulations of the Customs Union, which includes Russia, from January 1, 2015 prohibit the operation of cars with winter tires with studs during the three summer months. The document also does not allow the use of summer tires in December, January and February.
Thus, technical regulations allow driving on summer tires from March to November, and on winter tires with studs - from September to May. You can drive on winter non-studded tires (Velcro) all year round.
Like Kaptur: review of the new crossover from RenaultRenault launched a new model called Kaptur on the Russian market in June 2016. The car, built on a modernized Renault Duster platform, is assembled in Moscow. The model differs from the Duster in its new interior and exterior design and a number of new options. The pros and cons of the new product from the French are in the RIA Novosti material.The terms of the operation ban may be revised by local authorities, but only upward. For example, in the Murmansk or Magadan regions, winter comes several weeks earlier than in the Krasnodar or Stavropol Territories.
At the same time, traffic police inspectors can still fine you 500 rubles for using worn-out winter tires (tread depth less than four millimeters) only on snowy or icy roads.
State Duma deputies propose introducing a fine for using summer tires in winter - the penalty could be two thousand rubles. A fine of the same size can be imposed for the use of old tires (tread depth for summer tires is less than 1.6 millimeters or with punctures or cuts, as well as traces of repair of tires and wheels).
The introduction of a new fine will reduce the impact of studs on the road surface in the summer, and in winter it may improve accident statistics - not all drivers in winter conditions use tires for the season.
The bill has been in the works of the people's representatives for several years and can be considered in the first reading on October 21, said the head of the transport committee, Evgeny Moskvichev. He noted that more than a third of road accidents occur in the autumn-winter period due to the wrong choice of tires. Moskvichev explained that traffic police officers will monitor the implementation of technical regulations.
Weather of change
“The issue of seasonal tire replacement is, first of all, a safety issue. Winter and summer tires differ from each other both in the composition of the rubber compound and the tread pattern,” Nadezhda Churmeeva, executive director of the Tire Manufacturers Association, told RIA Novosti. A Michelin representative agrees with her.
The association recommends installing winter tires on a car at an average daily temperature of +7 degrees and below.
“With such an average daily temperature, there is already a risk of night frosts, when the temperature drops below zero, and water and moisture on the roads turn into ice, dangerous for drivers on summer tires,” the expert noted.
At low temperatures, summer tires can harden, which affects traction. For example, the braking distance on snow from 50 kilometers per hour for a car with summer tires is twice as long as with winter tires, Michelin experts calculated. They also note that even all-season tires may not always be suitable for difficult winter conditions.
In the summer, according to Continental, winter tires wear out faster, worsen vehicle handling and braking distance, and also increase fuel consumption.
Experts recommend changing tires after five years of use, regardless of wear. The maximum service life of a tire is ten years, even if it has been lying in the spare wheel well all this time. You can increase the life of your tires by regularly checking tire pressure, monitoring wear and adjusting wheel alignment if necessary. You should also run in new studded tires for 500 kilometers, and Velcro tires for 300 kilometers.
Are there any problems
There is a sufficient supply of winter tires on the market for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles.
For example, a set of four winter tires with studs 175/65 R14 on a Lada Kalina will cost from 7 to 16 thousand rubles, and 225/75 R16 on a UAZ Patriot - from 21 to 38.5 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer.
“As for freight transport, tire manufacturers consider it premature to require the installation of winter tires on all axles of commercial vehicles and advocate phasing,” Churmeeva noted, explaining that this is due to the readiness of the tire industry and the additional economic burden on truck owners.
Until changes are made to the traffic rules, the discussed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses will apply only to the requirements for the tread depth of winter tires, but not to the requirement for seasonal tire changes, the Tire Manufacturers Association clarified.
The State Duma Committee on Transport and Construction supported a draft law that would introduce fines for driving a car with tires that do not correspond to the season and more.
“We have been finalizing it, the bill is necessary. When the technical regulations of the Customs Union were adopted, we gave our industry within four years to prepare the production of our rubber in order to supply all our vehicles - freight transport, passenger transport. Therefore, we have this complete information", - the chairman of the committee, Evgeny Moskvichev, said about this, adding further: “Two thousand rubles means that our vehicle owners could pay a fine if they do not want to change their tires. In the autumn-winter period, 35-40% of accidents are due to the fact that the tires were not changed.”.
The draft law will have to amend the Code of Administrative Offences, which will establish a fine of 2,000 rubles, imposed on drivers who drive a vehicle in violation of the requirements for the operation of tires and wheels. That is, in cases where a car is wearing summer tires in winter, and in summer, in other words, in cases where wheels are installed out of season. The requirements for the operation of tires and wheels, which the bill refers to, are spelled out in the technical regulations of the Customs Union, which came into force on January 1, 2015.
Most inexperienced motorists forget to “change the shoes” of their car, not suspecting that in some cases traffic police inspectors may issue a fine for wearing winter tires when driving in the summer. Out-of-season tires can cause accidents on the road. To ensure the safety of the vehicle, the driver is required to “change” his car.
The CU Regulations do not contain the concept of “studded tires”. But here the general provisions will apply, on the basis of which tires with studs belong to the winter version of tires. For driving with untired tires in the summer, the driver faces a fine of 500 rubles.
Why is it prohibited to drive a car with out-of-season tires?
Experienced motorists know that there is no penalty for not having summer tires. But driving a vehicle with winter tires in the warm season is dangerous. The use of studded wheels in summer is prohibited. Most accidents are the result of insufficient tread hardness and depth.
Using winter tires in summer leads to the following consequences:
- increase in braking distance due to melting of rubber;
- reduction in vehicle maneuverability due to insufficient traction;
- excessive heating of tires.
For these reasons, winter wheels will become completely unusable in just a few seasons. But the penalty for this has not yet been established by law.
According to the rules, driving a vehicle with summer treads in winter is prohibited - from December to February. You cannot drive in winter tires in the summer – from 06/01 to 08/31. Operating any tires in spring or autumn is not a traffic violation and does not entail a fine.
Responsibility for out-of-season tires
There are no fines for operating a car with winter tires in the summer under the Code of Administrative Offences. But the new law contains several articles providing for punishment for the improper use of rubber. When a motorist is fined:
- Operating vehicles with worn tires or insufficient tread depth. Since 2015, the minimum depth: 0.8 mm – for vehicles of group L; 1 mm – for O 3-4 and N 2-3; 1.6 mm – O 1-2 and N1, M1; 2 – M 2-3. Residual height on winter tires is 4 mm. There is a fine for non-compliance with these standards.
- Installation of various types of rubber on the car axle: Velcro and studded, with different tread heights, worn and new tires.
Failure to comply with these requirements is regarded as operating a vehicle with technical defects, for which administrative liability is provided - a fine of 500 rubles (Administrative Code Art. 12.5 part 1). In the event of an accident, the driver of a car with out-of-season tires bears additional punishment if the accident resulted in a person being seriously injured or killed.
All-season tires can be used in winter, but only if they have the appropriate marking - “M * S” (snow and mud). In other situations, the operation of cars equipped with tires without a special mark is prohibited. But the law does not establish a fine for this.
Prohibition on the use of studded wheels
In addition to seasonal bans on treads, the new law will also affect the use of studded tires. The CU regulations for the countries of the union establish certain requirements and whether it is possible to ride on Velcro in the summer:
- Studded tires are placed on all vehicle wheels.
- The use of studded winter tires in summer is prohibited.
- The maximum number of spikes per meter is 60 pcs. (more quantities are allowed, subject to safety).
Traffic police officers currently have no right to fine you for wearing winter tires. But in the absence of a “Spikes” sign, a possible penalty is 500 rubles.
How will fines for tires be collected?
The only way to determine whether tires are appropriate for the season is through a technical inspection. But, based on the law, new cars are exempt from maintenance. Old vehicles are inspected only once every 1 year.
If the amount of fines is determined by separate regulations, drivers will have to change the winter tires on their cars in a timely manner. Otherwise, each detention by traffic police officers will cost the vehicle owner 500 rubles (or more).
There are no fines for wearing winter tires, but driving a technically faulty car will result in appropriate punishment. In the future, the Government plans to tighten sanctions for the lack of seasonal wheels.
