Russia is a country with a pronounced change of seasons, which, of course, affects driving in general and car rubber in particular. On the eve of winter season we will tell you when it is time to change tires, what kind of fine is threatened for those who like to drive out of season tires and what prevents us from obeying the law?
○ Why don't car enthusiasts change tires?
Russians are known for their thirst for fast driving, while they are far from always safe. One of these risks is associated with the use of rubber out of season. It happens by different reasons... Some are forced to save by the crisis, others do not want to stand in the seasonal queues of tire shops, others simply do not plan to install a new kit, being ready to throw out the old one.
Whatever reasons prompted you to leave the tires out of season, plus there can be only one, and that is very conditional - saving on tire fitting services. There will be much more cons, including material ones.
The first and most important disadvantage of rubber out of season is a decrease in the controllability of the car, and therefore the safety of the driver and passengers. In the first spring sun, the already soft winter tires begin to warm up from the warm asphalt. The rubber becomes viscous, and the controllability of the car decreases, with sharp braking, the car will easily drag forward, the consequences can be very unpleasant.
Stiffer summer tires in winter give lower grip and the car just "carries" on the road, which in itself is not safe.
The second problem is increased wear. GOST the minimum tread height of a passenger car has been set at 1.6 mm, but it is not worth reaching that point when buying a new set already 2 mm. Using rubber out of season will bring your purchase costs closer.
With proper use, a set of rubber will last up to three years, but if you do not change it, then the wear rate will increase by an average of three times. Studded tires serve well in the cold season, but with the establishment of heat and complete clearing of the asphalt from ice, the spikes simply fly out of it, forcing you to buy a new set for the next season. In addition, on a summer road, the studs lengthen the braking distance, creating the risk of accidents. But even studless winter tires, warmed up by the summer sun from their softness, wear out three times faster.
The reasons why you shouldn't skimp on rubber replacement are clear, so when is the time to do it?
○ Terms of transition to winter and summer tires.
Let's start with the fact that at the moment in Russia there is no full-fledged law that has come into force that obliges to change rubber as such, or sets the timing of such a replacement. In the USA and Finland, the change dates are fixed. If the inspector sees the car “shod out of season”, the driver will be fined.
In Russia there is technical regulations on the safety of wheeled Vehicle which prohibits the use of:
- Studded winter tires in June, July and August.
- Summer tires on any wheel of a vehicle in December, January and February.
Of course, these are not exhaustive rules and it is imperative to focus on the climatic conditions of a particular region. Experts advise you to put summer tires no earlier than the temperature is higher than +5 ° C / +7 ° C Prior to this, night frosts may occur, after which morning frost on the roads is possible. Usually it is March 10-15, but in the Crimea and Krasnodar Territory on March 1, spring is in full swing, and in the Magadan region they will hear about it only by April. This is one of the reasons why the law "On safety of vehicles" regulating tire change is still not fully operational, it is necessary to take into account regional specificities. At the moment, it contains a ban on the use of winter studded tires from May 1 to September 30, and summer tires from December 1 to March 1. Non-studded winter tires can be left on for the whole year.
As for winter tires, experts do not recommend delaying the change of more than 15 November. According to statistics, by this time in most regions of the country there is already a high probability of precipitation in the form of snow or ice.
Not prohibited by law all season tires, but when using it, it is important to take into account the climatic factor, if too low temperatures it will not be stable enough, and in too hot summer it will become too soft. In addition, it must be marked "M + S", "M&S" or "M S"
○ Penalty for riding winter tires in summer.
Administrative Code does not contain an article indicating a fine for using winter tires in summer, but the possibility of its introduction is already being discussed. The most likely amount of the fine at the moment is 500 rubles. But even in the future, only the use of studded tires will be held liable.
But already now, the traffic police inspector has the right to draw up a report if he finds on your car increased tread wear or winter and summer tires on the same axle.
With the onset of cold weather, drivers are interested in whether they will have to pay a fine for driving on summer tires? Someone thinks that they will carefully drive along the road and nothing bad will happen. And the other simply does not care about the laws and everyone around.
Penalty for driving summer tires in winter in Russia
In the technical regulations of the customs union, paragraph No. 5.5, in Appendix No. 8, on page 326 of document TRTS 018: 2011 "On the safety of wheeled vehicles", it says:
- it is forbidden to operate vehicles equipped with studded tires in summer: in June, July, August;
- it is forbidden to operate vehicles that are not equipped with special winter tires in winter: in December, January, February. Winter tires should be installed on all wheels of the car;
- regional government bodies can change the terms of the ban, only in the direction of increasing the time, for the reason that in Magadan and the northern regions of Siberia, frosts begin several weeks earlier than in Krasnodar, Stavropol, Sochi and regions.
Law on winter tires in Moscow and central Russia
Russia is a member of the customs union. When to put on shoes winter tires legally in the capital and region?
Since January 2015, the technical regulation allows the use of summer tires in Moscow and central Russia from March to November.
Studded tires are allowed to be used from September to May. On all-season, non-studded Velcro, it is allowed to move on central roads all year round.
Law on winter tires in the Krasnodar Territory (Krasnodar and Sochi)
In the southern regions of Russia, there is often wet snow and snow crumbs, in which Velcro behaves better. The studded tire paddles well on snowy roads, while the Velcro is more effective on wet asphalt.
Studded tires are not recommended in these areas. Thorns spoil wet asphalt... Tires designed for severe frosts wear off faster in warm winter. Traffic police officers can fine the driver 500 rubles for driving on an icy or snowy road on bald tires, the tread depth of which is less than 4 millimeters.
Law on winter tires in the Astrakhan region
According to the Federal Service of Hydrometeorology, monitoring the environment shows that every year the weather conditions are different. In addition, I are marked on the territory of our country; II; III climatic zones.
The temperature regime in different regions varies from 3 degrees to 50 degrees of frost in January and from zero to 35 degrees of heat in July. Average annual temperatures range from 15 to 30 degrees and more.
Given the serious temperature difference, the law on restrictive measures should be more seriously worked out. As for Astrakhan, it should be clarified to which climatic zone it belongs.
It is believed that this area belongs to the southern regions of the country. Winter begins here on November 15, spring from the first days of May. Therefore, it is recommended to use rubber from November 1-15 to May 15. If there were no high snowdrifts in the current year, you can ride on all-season, studless tires with deep tread and M + S mark, mud plus snow.
Some Astrakhan residents change summer tires for studded tires in October. They note that at temperatures below 5-7 degrees Celsius, summer tires become dull and hold the track worse, and the grip performance decreases.
Winter tires must be marked with a mountain sign with three peaks and a snowflake in the middle.
The rubber must be marked:
- M + S (mud plus snow);
- M&S (mud and snow);
- M S (mud snow).
In the absence of a wear indicator, the depth of the tread pattern is winter time(December, January, February) should not be less than 4 mm when driving on an icy and snowy road.
Obviously, drivers have to decide for themselves whether to change tires to studded ones or ride on Velcro all the time. If you have to move only on cleaned city asphalt, this is one thing, then all-seasons will cope with it. And if you have to travel more often in rural areas covered with snow, it is better to wear spikes.
Law on winter tires in the Rostov region
In the east and north of the Rostov region, the first frosts were noted on November 15, 2018, and the first snow fell in some places. To avoid accidents on the roads, the State Traffic Inspectorate strongly recommends changing summer tires to winter ones early.
Of course, if the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius so early, the braking distance of summer tires increases, the rubber hardens, and the car becomes practically uncontrollable. The change of tires must be done in advance, preferably on November 1, so as not to stand in the queues of the tire service and not to celebrate the day of the tinsmith.
Law on winter tires in the Stavropol Territory
The southern part of the European part of Russia, the center of the Ciscaucasia and the northern slopes of the Greater Caucasus is occupied by the Stavropol Territory. Due to the changeable relief, the nature and weather are varied here, the main zone is the steppe.
The temperate steppe belt provides a mild climate. It is moderately cold in winter, hot and dry in summer. There are frosts in the first half of May.
Due to this location of the region, it is better to wear winter tires from November 15 to May 15. And choose the type of tire according to the terrain. In the steppe and foothills, different tires are needed. A certain role is played by the height of snowdrifts outside the city, how the roads in the city are cleared. The car owner knows which area he travels more often.
Law on winter tires in Crimea
Summer tires manufacturers advise to remove summer tires at +4 degrees. According to the law, there is no specific deadline in Crimea for changing tires to winter tires. But the traffic police management advises to do this on November 1, because the weather conditions of the peninsula are not very predictable. For the safety of travelers on winter tire it is advised to ride until March 31st.
The maritime climate makes its own adjustments, sometimes unexpectedly and abruptly. In late autumn and early winter, there is often ice on the roads, both in the city and outside the city.
The terrain is mountainous in many places. To climb the icy serpentine road to Mount Ai-Petri, for example, is practically very difficult and dangerous. On summer tires, without spikes and chains, this is tantamount to suicide.
On the territory of Crimea, the owner of the car is not brought to administrative responsibility for not changing summer tires to winter ones.
Although the inconsistent weather begins here in mid-October, when the air reaches zero temperature in the morning, and heats up to 10 degrees in the afternoon. If the weather is still warm during the day, then at night the material of the summer tire dubs and does not hold the road. Drivers must take this fact into account.
Law on winter tires in the Belgorod region
Are summer tires fined in winter? The stories of heavy fines for not having a winter tire turned out to be grossly exaggerated. So far, the maximum that threatens a motorist for a bald tire is 500 rubles.
A cause for concern is the draft law submitted to the State Duma in January 2013. Vadim Tyulpanov, a member of the Federation Council, proposed introducing a fine of 5 thousand rubles if winter tires are not installed on the car from December 1 to March 1.
In an explanatory note, the senator noted that certain regions of the country can set their own terms of change. seasonal rubber... The bill has not yet been adopted, so it has no legal force.
At the same time, a fine, ten times less, can be obtained if you use cars in December, January, February without tires marked M + S on all wheels, three mountain peaks, with a snowflake inside, when the tread is worn below 4 mm. This rule applies to the tread pattern of all seasonal tires.
The rest of the time, the driver must be guided by weather and temperature conditions. Everyone should remember that at temperatures below 6 degrees Celsius, the material of summer tires becomes tanned and the car skids. It is fraught with accidents.
Law on winter tires in the Nizhny Novgorod region
When is it legal to change your shoes to winter tires? Movement on summer tires prohibited from January 1, 2015 according to the technical regulations of the vehicle, Appendix No. 8.
Some experts argue that the absence of an exact reference to the punishment in the Code of Administrative Offenses for driving in winter on summer tires, traffic police officers can abuse, bring other violations under the category of a list of malfunctions in which the operation of the car is prohibited.
In the Nizhny Novgorod region, it is necessary to wear winter tires according to the law on December 1, but it is advised to do this on November 1 or October 15-20 if winter is early. On the 20th of October in this region, the air temperature drops below minus 1 cold, which is already unacceptable for summer tires.
The traffic police strongly advises Nizhny Novgorod residents to fill in antifreeze liquids for the season, check the functioning of the windshield wipers, the operation of headlights, windshield washers and the tire clutch on October 20.
Is studded tires obligatory in winter by law?
Taking into account some regional weather conditions, there are the following time periods for the use of rubber by law:
- Summer tires not marked M + S, etc., are used from March to November;
- Winter tires with studs and marked with the M + S sign can be used from September to May;
- Winter tires without studs with M S markings etc. are successfully used by drivers all year round.
Thus, if you have summer tires on your car without markings and you have winter tires with spikes in stock, then you need to replace them in the fall, between September and November.
Reverse tire changes should be carried out during the spring, from March to May.
So far there is only a draft of such a fine. When it is approved and adopted in the State Duma, only then will it be necessary to fear a fine. Then its size and conditions will be specified.
At the same time, responsibility is not removed from the driver who became the culprit of the accident if in winter he rode a car with summer tires on wheels.
Is Velcro considered winter rubber by law?
All-season tires can only be used when they are marked with the appropriate markings: M + S; M M S and a three-headed mountain with a snowflake inside.
Outcomes:
- By law, you can change tires to winter tires from September to November;
- In practice, it is necessary to choose a specific date, taking into account the specific weather conditions of the region, but it is not recommended to do this later than November 15 - the unofficial date of replacement of summer tires;
- Penalty for operating summer or all season tire in winter time (December, January, February) in 2018 and 2019 does not overlap.
Penalty for winter tiresmay be introduced very soon: the corresponding bill was recently approved by the Government of the Russian Federation. We are talking about amending article 12.5 of the Administrative Code, which establishes liability for driving a car under conditions prohibiting its operation.
Summer tires fine today
If speak about current situation, the issue of changing summer and winter tires in Russia is not regulated, and fines for using tires out of season have not yet been provided, and drivers change tires, focusing on weather conditions. Unspoken guidelines for changing winter tires to summer tires in central Russia are March 15, and vice versa - November 15.
However, these dates are very conditional, and in different Russian regions they are different. And, of course, when changing seasonal tires, it is reasonable to focus not only on dates, but also on the weather: if the calendar spring has come and there is snow on the roadway, then summer tires will be completely out of place. And a dry, clean road in November does not require prompt “changing shoes” according to the winter option.
A fine for summer tires in winter - how did it all start?
Rumors that it will not be possible to "shoe" cars out of season have been going on for a long time - such initiatives were more than once submitted to the State Duma for consideration, but for various reasons were rejected. They usually offered the following innovations:
- Mandatory use of winter tires in the cold months of the year - from November to March (or, alternatively, take into account the average daily temperature).
- Introduce out-of-season tire penalties.
- The imposition of a fine for studded tires in the summer.
- Failure to pay insurance compensation when using the "wrong" tires, etc.
However, it does not seem that the drivers have waited: the introduction of fines for winter tires in the summer and for summer winter, as well as for the so-called "bald" tires have not yet been implemented. The draft amendments are still only a draft. And even the adoption of TR CU 018/2011 "On the safety of wheeled vehicles", which entered into force in 2015, which was considered a serious reason to amend the Administrative Code, did not change the situation.
Don't know your rights?
Regulations and penalties for winter tires 2018 - 2019
So, the regulations of the Customs Union brought many innovations to Russian car owners. TR CU 018/2011 contains the following provisions regarding the use of rubber:
- There is no such thing as “all-season tires” in it.
- From December to February, it is allowed to ride on winter tires - studded or not, and from June to August on summer tires - only on non-studded ones.
- It is prohibited to operate machines on spiked tires in the summer months.
- It is necessary to comply with the norms for wear limit protector.
The forbidden months for the use of seasonal tires are allowed to be changed, they are planned to be approved by regional regulations.
As for the size of the fine, this issue has been discussed for a long time. Initially, an amount of 5,000 rubles was offered, but it was rejected. Other sizes of fines were proposed, but in the end the amount was set at 500 rubles - the use of winter tires in the summer falls under Part 1 of Art. 12.5 of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation.
Penalty for bald tires 2018 - 2019
The use of rubber with a worn out tread, popularly called "bald", also will not go unpunished under the new rules. Although even today the driver can be fined for this violation. According to the traffic rules and its regulation on the vehicle's admission to operation, it is prohibited to enter the road if the residual tread height of a passenger car is less than 1.6 mm, a truck - 1 mm, a bus - 2 mm, a motorcycle or moped - 0.8 mm.
The fine for this offense is levied under article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (part 1) and amounts to 500 rubles. In the future, the legislators propose to introduce a punishment of 2,000 rubles. And this increase cannot be considered unreasonable, because "bald" tires become the culprit of numerous accidents, it is especially dangerous in winter in icy conditions. "Bald" tires do not provide adequate grip, as a result of which the cars on which it is installed skid when cornering. The result is accidents, often with fatalities.
Prohibition of studded tires
In addition to seasonal bans on tires, legislative changes will also affect the use of studded tires. So, already familiar to us, the regulation TR CU 018/2011 establishes for the countries of the Customs Union:
- Studded tires must be fitted to all wheels of the vehicle.
- The use of studded tires is prohibited during the summer months - from June to August.
- The maximum number of studs per running meter of the tread is 60 pieces. This requirement applies to rubber manufactured after January 1, 2016. True, a larger number of studs on the tire are also allowed if it is established by special tests that they do not cause significant wear. road surface and provide good adhesion properties.
As for today's fines for the use of studded tires, there are none. There is only a fine for the absence of the “Spikes” sign. It is 500 rubles.
How will the traffic police take fines for tires?
With laws and fines, everything is more or less clear, but the question remains: how will control over the observance of the above norms be carried out in practice? And who will certify the tires?
Today the only possible way determining the conformity of the seasonality of the rubber is an inspection. However, there are also gaps here, since, for example, new cars are allowed not to undergo maintenance. The situation is also incomprehensible for old cars - after all, they are obliged to inspect only once a year, and not two.
If the amounts of fines are approved by separate norms of the Code of Administrative Offenses, car owners will have to take seriously the need to use the appropriate type of tires. Otherwise, all meetings with inspectors for the season will be able to reduce the driver's budget by an amount comparable to the cost of a set of tires, or even more.
With the arrival of winter cold, every car owner must change summer wheels to winter ones. And this is where a lot of questions begin. How to do this, what kind of rubber is best to choose and when exactly the deadlines for "re-shoes" come.
Our country has a huge size and I must say that the weather situation in all regions is different, therefore, the timing of rubber replacement is set in different terms... The northernmost regions are the first to start preparing for winter, this happens already in mid-October, and often even earlier. But the topic of winter tires is relevant for many regions.
Russia, therefore, the issue of winter "shoes" for a car is a burning issue for all motorists. So, what is special about winter tires and when should you put it on?
What is the difference between winter tires and summer tires
Some owners passenger cars think with confidence that the main difference between summer and winter option consists only in the pattern on the tread and its profile depth. Of course, this also makes a difference, but that's not all. First of all, these are different rubber compounds. The mixture of "summer shoes" is much more resistant to high temperatures. Such rubber allows you to reliably "cling" to the road surface, it does not blur at high air and asphalt temperatures. However, when it gets colder outside, it becomes "oak" and does not provide the necessary grip.
It should be said about the temperature threshold at which such changes occur. The lower threshold is determined by the temperature +7, and the critical point is at zero. At zero temperature summer wheels slip and do not fulfill their main function, become dangerous.
Have winter wheels rubber is softer and not so susceptible to a drop in temperature, but at an indicator of +7 and above, they begin to spread, which inevitably leads to rapid wear, as well as to some inconvenience on an asphalt or concrete road.
The tread profile height also affects ride comfort. The deeper the drawing, the better the wheels adhere to the surface. There are also special devices in the form of spikes, which provide a more reliable ride on slippery road surfaces. Not all drivers put them, but those who use this device undoubtedly have a safety advantage on winter roads and tracks.
When to use winter tires
With the change of season for drivers, the "headache" associated with changing wheels begins, and many cannot determine the period when it is finally time. Indeed, there is no clear answer for counting down, and everyone solves this problem for himself. The specific numbers and the process itself depend on the geographic location and climatic conditions.
There are rules established behind the scenes. They say that as soon as the air temperature has ceased to rise above +7 degrees, you can start changing your car's shoes. But, some experienced drivers give the following advice: if you go out into the street in the morning and find ice on the puddles, this is a sign to change tires for the winter version.
Therefore, take any of the options as a rule, because in our time with weather conditions it is rather difficult to guess. After freezing, it comes warm and stays for almost a month. There were off-seasons in the middle lane, when it was necessary to change wheels twice during one fall.
In Moscow and the regions around the capital, usually by the end of October, all drivers have already changed their tires, since during this period the temperature remains at zero even in the daytime.
You can pay attention to the following indicators, which give an idea of the periods of wheel change in different regions stans.
- Moscow - from 15.10 - 25.10 the period for the installation of winter tires, and from 10.04 - 16.04 we set the summer;
- Novosibirsk - 12.10 - 17.10 winter, 24.04-30.04 - summer;
- Irkutsk - 10.10 - 16.10 winter, 25.10-30.10 - summer;
- Perm - 12.10 - 17.10 winter tires, 17.10 - 23.10 summer tires.
These are deadlines for replacement, therefore, in some cases, the “shoes” should be replaced earlier, this will save time, money and nerves. In service centers, real excitement begins when the weather changes dramatically, so you should take care of changing wheels in advance so as not to get into long queues.
Features of the use of all-season rubber
I must say that this is a European type of tire designed for mild climates. In our conditions, you can use such rubber if the thermometer does not show below +7. Special marking "M + S", standing on the wheels, indicates that these tires can be used when operating on mud or snowy roads.
Important! At high temperatures, the use of off-season wheels is unsafe, as the braking distance can increase by up to 40% and wear increases by up to 50%. But that's not all, fuel consumption is also increasing and can exceed 15%.
What are the other features of "off-season"? The fact that it has absorbed indicators from two types of rubber, but this does not make it a panacea, moreover, it is quite dangerous for use in any season. Such tires are suitable only for regions close to European ones, or for those who rarely drive their car. Thus, you can significantly save money spent on seasonal re-shoes.
Fines for misuse of rubber
Since 2015, a technical regulation has been in effect on the territory of our country, which was developed in the Customs Union. This document states that in the period from December to February it is impossible to drive onto the roads without winter tires. Further it is written that in the summer months (June-August) only the summer version of rubber should be used. Naturally, Russia, which has many regions with different climatic characteristics, makes adjustments to increase these intervals.
Important! The main thing that motorists should know about is that there are penalties if the car is “shod” out of season. Its size reaches 500 rubles.
Each separate area has its own terms for changing wheels, so you need to be guided by them. Traffic police officers are also guided by the peculiarities of the climate of this region and have no right to fine you if you still meet the deadlines for replacing wheels. Usually, negligent drivers are exposed to punishments in the form of fines with the onset of persistent cold weather.
When using winter tires, do you need a thorn mark?
If a driver uses studs on the tread of his car, be sure to have a distinctive sign telling other drivers about it. What is it for? On unevenness Russian roads, anything can happen. Spikes fly out from under the wheels. There were often cases of damage windshield those who travel nearby. Therefore, when the warriors see such a reinforced machine in front of them or nearby, they begin to slightly increase the distance, thereby protecting themselves from unpleasant surprises.
The penalty for lack of such an identification mark for those drivers who have spikes on their wheels are described in our article.
In 2017, the legislature made some amendments to the traffic rules, namely those that clearly regulate the use of winter tires. We are looking forward to the release of this law, which is still being finalized. While the situation with fines remains the same, that is, for the absence in winter period corresponding rubber, the driver will be fined five hundred rubles.
Timely replacement of wheels is not a whim, but a necessary event for the safety of all participants road traffic... Drifts, ice on the road can lead to dire consequences. For this reason, a large number of people die on the roads of the country every year. Until your car is ready to drive onto snowy roads without proper equipment, you should not tempt fate and expose yourself and other people to an emergency. A car is not only a means of comfort, but also of increased danger. If you keep this in mind, you can avoid many negative consequences.
