Is it allowed to drive on winter tires without studs?

Every year, as cold weather approaches, drivers begin to wonder when to put on winter tires. Currently, the answer to this question is partially regulated by a regulatory legal document.

The relevant law is Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 On the safety of wheeled vehicles.

In this article we will talk about the legally established deadlines for changing summer tires to winter ones. In addition, a fine for improper use of tires will be considered.

Restrictions for driving out of season

Until 2015, the Law did not provide for fines for driving on winter tires in the summer, although there were attempts to introduce it back in 2013. In 2014, the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union were adopted, according to which, from the beginning of 2015, a fine was introduced for driving a car on out-of-season tires .

The regulations include provisions according to which it is prohibited to drive on summer tires in the winter months - December, January, February, and on winter tires in the summer - June, July and August, respectively. That is, driving on any tires in the fall or spring is not considered a violation.

The regulation also states that the rules for the use of seasonal tires can be adjusted according to the weather conditions of each region.

It is clear that somewhere in the northern regions of the country no one drives summer tires due to permafrost, however, amendments to the regulations must be adopted by each region separately, so in the first time after its adoption, misunderstandings may arise with traffic police officers.

Why can't you drive on summer tires in winter?

We answer point by point.

• Winter tires remain soft at low temperatures, when the thermometer is less than 5 degrees Celsius, and summer tires begin to turn into stone. Because of this, the contact patch of the wheel with the road is reduced and the car has difficulty even clinging to the asphalt.
• Obviously, in winter, wheels without studs have worse traction. The car loses control, the braking distance on summer tires becomes dangerously long and difficult to control.
• Driving on summer tires in winter will quickly wear them out, because such wheels are not designed for use in sub-zero temperatures. Those who like to save money on winter tires still lose money. And, of course, they take a lot of risks.

Is it possible to ride on Velcro in the summer: traffic rules data

According to most car enthusiasts, Velcro can be used in the summer. Indeed, until recently there were no legislative prohibitions on this.

The legislation was changed in 2021. Mention of winter studded tires was removed from the technical regulations and the concept of “winter tires” as a whole was retained. As a result, there was a ban on the use of Velcro from the beginning of June to the end of August. The police will no longer get away with such violations. The violator will first be given a warning and then a fine.

Are there any penalties for using winter tires in summer?

Of course, the ideal option: each season has its own tires. But in practice, drivers use winter tires in the summer. And they must be held accountable for this. True, the degree of responsibility for such acts is minimal. And what’s more, in some cases it is completely absent.

Types of liability for driving on winter tires in summer:

1. if the rubber is of the “Velcro” type, when there are no spikes, then there is no fine at all;
2. if winter tires are installed, but with studs, then you will have to pay 500 rubles;
3. if there is a discrepancy in the tread height, the penalty will be 500 rubles.

And then in more detail about these types of violations.

When is it legal to switch to winter tires?

Let's consider paragraph 5.5 of Appendix 8 to the technical regulations of the customs union TR CU 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles”:

5.5. It is prohibited to operate vehicles equipped with tires with anti-skid studs in the summer (June, July, August).

During the winter period (December, January, February), the operation of vehicles of categories M1 and N1 that are not equipped with winter tires that meet the requirements of paragraph 5.6.3 of this annex is prohibited. Winter tires are installed on all wheels of these vehicles.

A period different from that specified in paragraph one of this paragraph may be established by the legislation of a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union in connection with climatic and geographical factors characteristic of member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.

So, what can be understood from this paragraph:

1. During the summer months (June, July, August) only studded tires are prohibited. This requirement applies to all vehicles.
2. During the winter months (December, January, February), only winter tires are permitted. You can put both studded and non-studded tires on your car. The main thing is that they are marked “M+S”, “M&S” or “MS” and the corresponding drawing (in the picture on the left). The requirement applies only to category B (M1 cars and N1 trucks). The restriction does not apply to other vehicles from November 11, 2021.
3. The terms of the ban on exploitation can only be increased by the legislative authority of any level (federal, regional) and cannot be reduced. Those. In your region, for example, the use of studded tires may be prohibited from May to September. At the same time, regional authorities cannot reduce the period of the ban, i.e. From June to August, cars in all regions must not use studs.

Thus, there are the following intervals for using car tires:

• Summer tires (without M+S marking, etc.) can be used from March to November.
• Winter studded tires (marked M+S, etc.) can be used from September to May.
• Winter studless tires (marked M+S, etc.) can be used all year round.

Let's look at a table with periods of possible tire use throughout the year:

Thus, if you have summer tires (without markings) and winter studded tires, then you must replace them during the fall, i.e. from September to November.

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The tire replacement should be done during the spring, i.e. from March to May.

Why are winter tires dangerous in summer?

Every driver probably knows that driving a car with summer tires in winter is not safe. This is absolutely risky and leads to many accidents. But another question arises: why can’t winter tires be used in the summer, because this should not cause any consequences for driving.

But it is not so. There are a number of unpleasant moments that a driver may encounter:

1. Increased braking distance. Due to the tread pattern and other technical characteristics that are unsuitable for summer trips, the braking distance of the car increases.
2. Rapid wear of rubber. Winter tires wear out quickly on asphalt in the hot season and can become unusable within just a few trips.
3. Overheating of rubber. Winter tires may differ slightly in their thermal insulation properties, and therefore will heat up faster. There may even be an unpleasant smell.
4. There is no good grip on the asphalt surface - the conclusion is poor handling.

Etc. That is, it is impossible to say unequivocally how winter tires will affect driving in the summer. It is better to follow simple rules and ensure safe movement on the highway for yourself and others.

Why you can't drive on winter tires in summer

It is well known that summer tires make the car less controllable in winter due to the small tread depth and tire hardness.

What are the dangers of using winter tires in summer? The alloy of winter tires is softer in structure than summer tires and this has the following consequences:

1. Increased braking distance due to increased rubber melting.
2. Poor handling due to poor adhesion to asphalt.
3. Tires become very hot.
4. Rapid wear - the tread of winter tires will wear off in a few trips, and the tire will simply become unusable.

Consequences of using winter tires in summer

The main differences between winter tires are in the properties of the rubber, tread pattern and groove depth. All this ensures reliable grip on the surface with minimal rolling resistance.

A more detailed examination of the dangers of driving on winter tires in the summer will allow us to draw conclusions and, if necessary, change seasonal vehicle maintenance activities. In summer operating conditions, a number of negative aspects arise due to the fact that winter tires are not designed for driving on asphalt in hot weather conditions.

Main negative consequences:

• 
  Rapid wear. The alloy structure of winter tires is softer, and manufacturers do not provide any guarantees when operating above 7-14 degrees Celsius. In summer, the rubber melts more strongly, rolling resistance increases, and the tire heats up even more. There are known cases of winter tires being damaged by ordinary pebbles on the road, which are absolutely harmless to summer tires. Extreme heat in hot weather may cause it to explode. If a tire fails while driving at speed or in heavy traffic, the consequences can be dire.

• Difficulty with steering. Even a moderate temperature of 11 degrees Celsius has a critical effect on the car on the road: steering is difficult, maneuvers on the road lead to wobbling, poor acceleration when applying gas. If you don't change your tires, just a few trips will wear out the tires.
• Long braking distance. Driving a car with a set of winter tires is more dangerous than driving bald summer tires in the summer. Insufficient grip on the road surface leads to an increase in braking distance, which can increase up to two car body lengths. Moreover, driving on winter tires in the summer months is dangerous for both the driver and pedestrians. If a pedestrian suddenly appears on the road, such braking can lead to death or serious injury - these are the sad statistics of judicial practice.
• Increased fuel consumption. In order for adhesion to the road surface to occur, a winter tire requires more effort. Additional effort comes from running the engine, which requires more fuel. Statistics show that driving on sticky tires on a hot day increases gas mileage by 5-10%. If you calculate how much additional fuel you will have to fill, the savings from not wanting to change a set of tires look dubious.

Studded tires add to the list of unpleasant consequences:

• If you ride on studded tires, dangerous spikes may fly out.
• Noise on dry asphalt will deprive the ride of any comfort.
• Damage to the road surface. In summer, tire spikes practically cut out part of the asphalt, and a rut forms on the road.

In addition, rubber wear occurs unevenly. If a pebble hits a wear site, it results in the formation of a stress cross on the tread. Wear increases so much that a hundred kilometers can make the tire “square,” damaging the suspension and chassis.

And the question of why you can’t drive winter tires with studs or Velcro in summer becomes irrelevant. When a car owner belatedly changes winter tires to summer ones, the list of defects that the car acquired due to improper use will be impressive.

Is it worth driving with winter tires in summer?

Using winter tires for purposes other than their intended purpose leads to a number of detrimental consequences for the car and the driver: a high risk of accidents on the roads, difficulties with driving, rapid wear and failure of a number of vehicle systems, increased fuel consumption and, finally, a fine.

The question of why it is necessary to change winter tires to a summer set has a clear answer - such trips on asphalt in the hot season will not bring anything good. However, much depends on where the car is used and in what climatic conditions. On roads in northern latitudes, in the permafrost zone, it is worth adhering to common sense and the rules established for a specific region.

The question of when to change tires to summer ones is resolved in a similar way. There is a widespread opinion about the timing of replacing a seasonal tire: March 15 – switch to summer tires, November 15 – switch to winter tires. However, there is no precisely established single date in the law, and tires must be changed, taking into account the climate of a particular region and specific weather conditions.

Buying two sets of tires every year is quite expensive, especially in times of crisis. It is not surprising that more and more drivers decide to save money and drive in the summer on worn-out winter tires. Why people prefer “winter” to summer is not so difficult to guess - it’s all because of savings. Removing the purchase of a set of summer tires from your expenses means saving almost half of the average Russian’s monthly salary. However, there are many pitfalls in using winter tires in summer, which we will talk about today.

1. Steering response becomes less clear

Winter tires are made of softer types of rubber, and the tread is replete with a large number of small grooves. This allows the car to hold the road well on snow or frozen asphalt. When driving on a sun-heated road surface, winter tires act as a shock absorber, thereby creating a cushion effect between the car and the road. The car becomes “rolly”, and the car’s response to steering becomes blurred and slow. On average, the efficiency of driving in summer on winter tires is almost 10 times less than when using summer tires.

2. Braking distance.

As the asphalt temperature rises, winter tires begin to wear out very quickly, not providing proper grip. When braking, this results in an increased braking distance, and, consequently, can lead to an emergency situation on the road. Various companies have conducted tests, during which they were able to prove that the braking distance in summer at a speed of 50 km/h is 1.5 meters longer, and at a speed of 100 km/h it is already 6 meters longer than on summer tires.

3. Noise in the cabin

It's not difficult to notice that winter tires have a lot of edges, unlike the streamlined summer models. Each additional edge of the tire in contact with the road creates additional noise. The more such edges, the noisier the car on the road. Studded tires make even more noise.

4. Fuel consumption

The less grip there is, the more difficult it is for the car to move on the road. Due to their soft texture and heavily “rugged” tread, winter tires make it difficult for the car to grip the road. The engine revs harder to reach the same speed, which means more fuel is consumed.

5. Wear

At temperatures above 7 degrees, the rubber wears out greatly. If you plan to use tires for the next winter season, then there is a high probability that the wear will be maximum and the only thing left to do is throw the tires away.

6. Cornering

Winter tires do not cope well with strong lateral acceleration, so when cornering it is better to choose a lower speed, otherwise there is a high risk of severe car drift and an accident.

Many car enthusiasts will answer this question in the affirmative, citing the fact that nothing particularly terrible will happen, because the car will not stick to the asphalt, in fact. Unfortunately, this opinion is deeply mistaken and, worst of all, such recklessness can even be dangerous, both for the driver himself and for pedestrians. Drivers who use winter tires in summer are acting recklessly, given that:

• 1. This is dangerous - if an unforeseen situation arises in the summer heat, winter tires are highly likely to let you down.
• 2. It’s expensive - using winter tires in the summer will cost you significantly more than any possible fines.
• 3. This is unpleasant - even an ultra-modern foreign car in hot conditions with winter tires will be difficult to control.

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And the consequences of reckless driving do not end there. Let's look at other troubles that may arise in more detail.

Accident rate

Winter tires are not at all designed for operation at temperatures exceeding +7 degrees, and manufacturers openly declare this and do not guarantee their reliability. The magazine “Behind the Wheel” has repeatedly conducted tests on this topic. As a result: already at a temperature of just over +10 degrees, the car reacts sluggishly to the steering wheel, skids during maneuvers, and, on top of everything else, accelerates poorly. The braking distance is significantly longer (by approximately two body lengths).

The traffic police statistics are disappointing - in late spring, there is a sharp increase in the number of fatal accidents for pedestrians who suddenly appear in front of a car that has not been changed to summer tires in time. In summer the situation is even more dire. In hot conditions, winter tires tend to soften, and even a small pebble on the road, completely invisible to a summer tire, leads to such an unpleasant situation as a total tire rupture. And imagine that this happened at high speed, on a busy highway?

Fuel consumption

The very principle of the design of a winter tire involves the use of additional force for maximum adhesion of the tire to the road surface. To put it figuratively, a winter tire is somewhat similar to a sea urchin with its moving spines. Where can you get this notorious “extra effort”? Naturally, from the engine, and for this it, in turn, will require additional consumption of gasoline or diesel fuel.

In summer, things are even worse: the rubber softens, which weakens the studs that grip the surface and requires even more effort to activate them. What do we end up with? Fuel consumption naturally increases by 5-10%!, if it comes to Velcro tires, and about 3%! on all-season tires. Now, using simple arithmetic and knowing the fuel consumption of your car, you can calculate how much it will cost you to have such a luxury as driving on winter tires in the summer, and at the same time compare the obtained values ​​with the cost of work on “re-shoeing” your faithful steed.

Is it possible to drive in summer on winter tires only occasionally?

Let's say you didn't replace the tires on time, but things are urgent. If you drive carefully and not often, is it possible to avoid undesirable consequences? Well, the tires won’t go bald because of a one-time trip to the country!

The peculiarity of winter tire wear in summer heat is not limited to such a phenomenon as “baldness”. If, while driving, an area barely affected by wear is exposed to even greater impact (say, a stone on the road), the process of the so-called stress cross on the tread starts.

As a result, without driving even 100 km, your tire may deform and turn into a square-shaped “something”. There is no need to talk about the level of driving comfort on such tires. The shaking will be solid. Plus a direct threat to the suspension and chassis. The result, in general, is predictable: when you make up your mind and change the tires, with a high degree of probability you will have to work closely on eliminating various defects, and at the same time paying rather large bills from the service station.

Universal tires

So-called “all-season tires” (universal tires) can be used year-round. With one caveat. Climatic conditions must correspond to Central European ones, this is the basis for the versatility of this rubber. According to statistics, the accident rate does not exceed normal values ​​when it comes to using universal tires. However, there are also some disadvantages. Firstly, such tires are more expensive, and secondly, they wear out much faster compared to seasonal tires. In simple terms, all-terrain tires are the choice for those who don't like hardships and live in areas with a fairly mild climate.

A little about the legal aspects of the issue

Is it against the law to drive on winter tires in summer? No. It doesn't prohibit it yet. Although the Duma is already thinking about making such driving illegal and punishing violators with fines of up to 2,500 rubles. And there are good reasons for this, because studded winter tires in the summer heat can actually “eat up” the asphalt surface (up to 2 cm per season). Add to this the increase in fatal accidents.

Today, in order to avoid problems with the traffic police, you just need to stick a sticker in the shape of a triangle with the letter “Ш” on the windshield and rear window. Although, even if you violate this simple rule, they do not have the right to fine you, they just have to hold an explanatory conversation and warn you.

Studded tires. Driving on studded tires in the summer is not a clear violation of the law. They will not punish you for this. You will punish yourself. By the end of the season, such tires will lose all their studs and, as a result, will become neither summer nor winter, but unsuitable for further use. And the cost of repairing the road surface will directly burden you, dear taxpayers. It seems that there is no point in talking about studded tires on summer roads.

Winter tires

But the driver himself also needs a break-in. Test how your winter tires behave before driving onto a busy road in a quieter area, do a few brakes, feel the moment the ABS activates, how the car reacts to turning the steering wheel. In general, don’t let winter take you by surprise!

Winter tires: with or without studs!