Winter and all-season tires in extreme conditions
Let's take a closer look at how tires labeled “All weather” and just winter tires will behave in snowy and icy road conditions.
Let's make a comparison using the example of a Toyota RAV4, with Goodyear Ultra Grip SUV (winter) and Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons G2 (all-season) tires/
| Winter tires (not studded) | All-season tires | |
| 1. Braking distance (at -4°C) | 51 m | 63 m |
| 2. Acceleration (up to 50 km/h) | 3 s | 5.5 s |
| 3. Controllability | · Has good grip and quick steering response · Differs in directional stability · Does not slip and skid on snow and ice | · Grip on slippery roads is difficult to control · At a speed of 40 km/h it starts sliding Reacts slowly when turning the steering wheel |
| 4. Patency | Easily overcomes medium-height snow cover | It's difficult to walk through deep snow and gets stuck on turns. |
As can be seen from the comparison, all-season tires are inferior to winter tires in all respects. They do not provide comfortable and safe movement on slippery surfaces and can lead to the car getting stuck in the snow or getting into an accident.
All-season on snow
Can all-season tires be used in winter?
In 2021, in Russia and Ukraine, the use of all-season tires in winter does not contradict the rules of the road. In this case, the tires must have markings indicating the possibility of their use in winter conditions.
Wheels marked as follows are allowed for use:
- M+S
- M&S
- MS
- Snowflake inside a pictogram in the form of a mountain peak.
Marking M+S
Marking M+S (Mud+Snow) indicates that the tread design allows you to move through mud and snow. The snowflake indicates the possibility of use at subzero temperatures.
The law regulates the minimum tread depth - 4 mm. This applies to cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles.
Universal rubber marking
All-season tires are also divided into categories and have different markings, so make sure you don’t make a mistake when purchasing to avoid getting into trouble:
- “AS” - this marking is placed exclusively in Russia and the republics of the former USSR, it means All Season - all-season in English.
- “AW” All Weser – means for any weather
- Designations M&S or M+S – suitable for driving on snow and mud. Perhaps this is a universal tire if there is no mountain and snowflake icon. If such icons are present, then the tires are exclusively winter.
- “R+W” is quite rare and means universal tires for use all year round. Stands for all roads and weather conditions.
- From December to February, AS or M+S wheels are allowed in our country. Universal models are recommended from March to November.
There is no fine for out-of-season tires yet. Traffic police inspectors can only explain to you the dangers of using summer wheels in winter.
For winter tires, a sufficient tread depth will be 4 millimeters, for summer tires 1.6 millimeters. If the tread depth is less than permissible, you need to change the wheels.
Is it allowed to drive an all-season vehicle abroad? No, this is excluded; for those who are forced to visit European countries for work or business, this will be useful to know. Outside of Russia, in European countries, driving only on seasonal tires is allowed, and the fines there are serious. EEC standards allow only seasonal tires, and all-season tires are not recognized due to operational risks.
Advantages and disadvantages of traveling on an all-season vehicle in winter
| Advantages | Flaws |
| 1. Less noise on dry surfaces compared to winter tires 2. Less wheel weight 3. Savings on seasonal changes and the purchase of a second set 4. No need to store a second set of tires | 1. Poor handling, high risk of accidents 2. Chance of getting stuck in snow drifts 3. Long braking distance 4. Heavy acceleration and slipping |
It is advisable to use all-season tires in winter only at average temperatures (not lower than -7°C) and in the absence of high snow cover and icing.
Pros and cons of all-season
How much does the braking distance increase?
The health and life of road users depends on the length of the braking distance. Let's look at how much this indicator differs between all-season tires and winter tires using an example.
| Braking distance on ice | Braking distance on snow | |
| Winter tires (without studs) | 33.5 m | 15.5 m |
| All-season tires | 53.3 m | 22.2 m |
* the initial speed of the car is 50 km/h.
Braking distance largely depends on the car model and the condition of the braking system. But in any case, all-season tires have longer braking times.
What does the Russian traffic rules say?
Since 2015, the technical regulations of the Customs Union “On Security” have been in force on the territory of the Russian Federation (as well as Belarus and Kazakhstan). This document regulates the use of tires in accordance with the time of year. It says the following:
Clause 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 (from December to February inclusive). Winter tires are installed on all wheels of the car.
The requirements of paragraph 5.63 are as follows:
5.6.3. The remaining tread height of winter tires intended for use on icy or snowy road surfaces, marked with a snowflake inside a mountain peak with three peaks, as well as the signs “M+S”, “M&S”, “MS” during operation on the specified surface, is no more than 4.0 mm.
It follows from this that all-season tires are allowed in winter in Russia only if the indicated signs are present on them and the tread depth corresponds to the required one.
Tread difference
When is it legally necessary to change summer tires to winter tires in 2021?
The classic rule that tells us when we change summer tires to winter ones is: “as soon as the first night frosts begin and the average daily temperature drops below +5°C, it’s time for tire fitting!” The effectiveness of summer tires decreases as the temperature drops; they become tanned and do not provide the necessary grip.
The terms of use of winter and summer tires are specified in the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union “On the Safety of Wheeled Vehicles”. In accordance with it, the use of studded tires is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation in the summer months (June, July, August).
During the winter months (December, January and February), vehicles must be fitted with winter tires. This rule applies only to cars of category “B” (M1 cars and N1 trucks).
Driver reviews about using all-season tires in winter
| Positive | Negative |
| The fact that all-season training is dangerous is pure fiction! In Europe everyone rides them. I watched a video where they tested normal quality tires - all-season and winter. As a result, the difference is quite small. The braking distance is a little longer, but knowing your car, you can brake a little in advance. Why overpay for the winter, we are not in the Arctic, the roads are cleaned in the city. | It was all-season from the factory. I thought it was normal until I changed it to winter. Now the car just flies, the steering is perfectly controlled, there are no such brakes. I think that all-season tires are an option for those who simply don’t have the money. If possible, it is better to shell out for two sets. |
| All-season tires are also perfect for mild winters. I bet my wife on Matiz. There is no need to bother and stand in lines to change shoes. They are not very suitable for heavy snow and ice, but she doesn’t drive in such weather. | Is it possible to drive on all-season tires in winter? Of course not. It's not designed for that. I don’t understand those people who drive on such tires in the cold. They risk their health and those around them. I consider such drivers dangerous, they should not only be fined, but immediately put in prison before they kill anyone! |
| For 7 years I have been driving only the Hankuk Optima 4S. I only changed it twice during this time. I am not an extreme driver, I drive very carefully in bad weather conditions, I know how my tires behave in the snow. We have almost no thaws during the winter, so there is no ice on the roads, only compacted snow. The car behaves excellently on this surface. I won’t say anything about ice, I don’t know. | An all-season tire is just a marketing ploy for lazy or greedy people. It's the same as wearing demi-season shoes all year round. It’s bad both in winter and in summer. I was trying to save money. As a result, there were enough tires for 45 thousand. And summer ones are enough for 50. No savings and a health risk! |
| Demi-season tires instead of winter tires are quite suitable for central Russia. Provided that in extreme weather (snowfall, ice) do not drive it. It has lamellas, and the rubber is softer than summer tires. But it is not suitable for summer for one simple reason - it wears off very quickly. | In winter, all-season tires should never be used on our roads. This is pure suicide! Many people say that on Soviet cars there was no such thing as winter-summer. But that was 100 years ago, when there were many things, for example, the Internet. It's stupid to focus on this. Moreover, traffic on the roads has increased significantly. |
*Reviews taken from the sites: www.drive2.ru, motorstory.ru, auto.ria.com, https://davto.com.ua/.
What tires should I buy for the summer?
If you answer in one phrase - then any, except for studded ones. But everyone’s conditions are different, so there is no universal recipe.
- Summer tires have the least noise, such tires are economical and hold the road well at speed on a hot day and in the rain. But it is absolutely helpless when moving on grass and muddy dirt roads. If you prefer an active driving style in the city, you will have to choose just such “shoes” for dynamic driving.
- All-season models are chosen by drivers who have no desire to re-fit their car. If you obey the speed limit, drive carefully and predict the road situation several steps ahead, this is a completely logical choice. But don’t expect perfect handling, record braking and cross-country ability - universal products are inferior to specialized ones.
- Non-studded winter tires are becoming increasingly common in summer as well. This option has its positive aspects - you don’t need to stand in line at a tire shop twice a year, such wheels ride well on light off-road conditions, smooth out uneven asphalt, and drain water well from the contact patch. Disadvantages - increased wear and noise, mediocre handling and braking characteristics, even worse in the heat. If you drive carefully and slowly, and your summer mileage is small and mostly on dirt roads, this option is quite justified.
- or used for off-road use. If you are choosing summer wheels for a fishing and hunting vehicle, we buy from this category. Asphalt is assumed to be minimal - we are looking at off-road Mud Terrain, operation is 50/50 with off-road - we will choose All Terrain. It should be remembered that with year-round use, such “shoes” behave well in the snow, but are absolutely helpless on ice.
For convenience, we will put in the table the main characteristics of summer tires
For convenience, we will put in the table the main characteristics of summer tires
| Parameter/Protector | Summer | Rain | All-season | AT/MT | "Velcro" |
| Well. sustainability | |||||
| Controllability | |||||
| Braking | |||||
| Efficiency, noise | |||||
| Wear resistance | |||||
| Dry asphalt | |||||
| Wet road | |||||
| Off-road | |||||
| All year round | |||||
| Installation costs |
Let us note that this classification is very conditional and does not claim to be absolute truth.
conclusions
- All-season tires are not prohibited by law either in Russia or in Ukraine. You can drive them in winter with a tread depth of at least 4 mm. When using this type of tire the driver does not face any fine.
- The quality of steering, braking and acceleration of a car on AllSeason tires is significantly worse than on winter tires. This has been proven experimentally.
- Driving on all-season tires in snowfall, ice and severe frost (more than -7 °C) is dangerous. Even an experienced driver will not be able to predict how a tread that is not adapted to severe weather conditions will behave and get into an accident. Therefore, driving in winter on all-season tires is an extremely risky decision.
Let's weigh the pros and cons
To understand whether it is possible to ride an all-season bike all year round, let’s look at its pros and cons:
The main advantage of such tires is the ability to drive them all year round, the season does not matter. You just need to remember to check the wear of the wheel tread material and the pressure in them.
The universal tread pattern (neither summer nor winter) causes increased noise when driving on asphalt. It increases especially at high speeds.
Due to the universality of the tread pattern, all-season tires have reduced grip on the road surface. Which accordingly increases the braking distance and reduces the car’s controllability both in summer and in winter.
It is recommended to use universal tires in regions with a mild climate, where there is practically no frost or killer heat. Because at just -25, the universal rubber composition loses its properties completely and becomes dangerous for use. In fact, you are driving as if on summer tires and the likelihood of getting into an accident is enormous. Is it worth driving with such a risk?
In extreme heat, the rubber on all-season wheels begins to melt, leaving black stripes on the road surface. The increased elasticity of such rubber is necessary so that the wheels do not become “oaky” in winter. But in the summer, when the asphalt is dry, the car’s controllability decreases. In addition, the pattern on an all-season tire makes it difficult to avoid and get out of drifts.
These tires are mainly recommended for inexperienced drivers who drive carefully. The use of such wheels is unacceptable for sports cars (sports cars) and racing cars.
For SUVs, instead of all-season wheels, “All Terrain” wheels (for any terrain) are better suited for winter travel; they provide excellent handling in snow and off-road.
Most experienced drivers agreed that the all-season vehicle is ideal for driving in the off-season, that is, in autumn and spring. Since during these periods the weather and temperature change sharply and jump from summer to winter conditions, and vice versa.
A new generation of universal wheels has already been invented. They better adapt to air temperature, climate and road surface, changing their characteristics. However, the models are still too expensive for their production to become widespread. Therefore, it is not always possible to buy such tires even if you have money for them.
The use of such tires is not prohibited by law. The laws of the Russian Federation prohibit driving in winter on non-summer tires and in summer on winter tires. There are no prohibitions or fines for the use of all-season wheels.
However, the risk increases in winter. Already a temperature of -10 reduces their grip on the road, and -25 is equivalent to driving on “bald” tires. At the same time, the braking distance lengthens and the risk of ending up in a ditch also increases.
Today, most manufacturers indicate a temperature range at which the use of all-season wheels is safe. As a rule, the lower limit is only -7 degrees.
The savings from using universal tires are not noticeable, since they wear out faster than seasonal tires and require replacement more often. Now that you know how all-season tires behave, think about whether it’s worth purchasing them, given that there is no economic benefit, and there are a lot of chances of crashing in winter, then why take unnecessary risk?
