All-season tires in winter penalties

All-season tires in winter: fine

All-season tires can be very dangerous on winter roads. This is what legislators were guided by when establishing fines for using all-season tires in winter. If your car has all-season tires in winter, the fine for this has been established since January 1, 2015 in the amount of 500 rubles.

What are all-season tires

All-season tires are tires designed for driving at temperatures close to zero. This type of rubber is not suitable for use at low temperatures or in hot weather. All-season tires differ from winter and summer tires:

tread depth;
elasticity;
chemical composition.

All-season tires behave a little better than summer tires in unfavorable conditions - when there is porridge, slush, snow on the road. However, it cannot guarantee a reliable ride. In addition, it is also unsafe at high air temperatures, since it does not provide proper adhesion to the road surface. By analogy with shoes, all-season carving can be called demi-season, that is, it performs best in the off-season. It is objectively not suitable for year-round use, although many car enthusiasts believe that they can drive on the same all-season tires all year round. Under certain conditions (non-hot summers and no frost below -7 degrees) and only on city roads that are cleaned in a timely manner, such tires can be used, but in most cases you will have to buy two sets of tires for your own safety.

The advantages of all-season tires include the following qualities:

cost (all-season tires cost about the same as summer tires);
no need for seasonal tire changes;
such tires are suitable for periods when there may be snow, slush, or dry asphalt on the road during the day;
All-season tires are “quieter” than winter tires.

Obvious disadvantages of all-season tires:

poor grip on winter roads;
rapid wear due to year-round use;
all-season tires “tan” in frosts greater than -7 degrees;
in summer, all-season tires are too elastic;
You will be fined for using all-season tires in winter.

Penalty for using all-season tires in winter

The document on the basis of which sanctions are established for the use of all-season tires in winter is the technical regulations of the Customs Union. They set the period during which it is necessary to use winter tires - from December to February. In each region, this period can be increased depending on weather conditions.

However, the regulations do not establish penalties, they only contain requirements. A traffic police inspector can impose a fine for the use of all-season tires in winter only if in winter there is a car on the road with tires that do not comply with the Road Traffic Rules, that is, if the tires of a passenger car have a tread depth of less than 4 mm. From January 1, 2015, the Road Regulations prohibit the operation of passenger cars with a residual tire tread depth of less than 4 mm. That is, there is no direct ban on the use of all-season tires in winter. The main thing is the tread height. A fine is imposed only for “bald” tires. The amount of the fine is determined by Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.

The introduction of a fine for driving on “bald” tires in winter is a step towards introducing more stringent fines for using summer and all-season tires in winter. Despite the fact that there is no fine for all-season tires in winter yet, motorists should understand that winter tires are not an extra expense, but their own safety on difficult winter roads.

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Can all-season tires be used in winter?

Some drivers, in order not to change tires twice a year, drive all year round on universal tires. You can drive in winter on all-season tires, but you need to pay attention to some rules.

What are all-season tires?

All-season tires are considered a compromise between summer and winter tires. In hot weather, all-purpose tires soften faster than summer tires, and in cold weather they harden faster than winter tires. It follows from this that the temperature properties of such tire models are equally suitable for use in both winter and summer.

The tread pattern of all-season tires is selected taking into account summer and winter operation so that the tire provides the best grip on the road in all conditions. Like winter tires, they have deep grooves to keep them from getting clogged with snow. Like summer ones, they are equipped with V-shaped openings for water drainage.

Advantages and disadvantages of all-season

The main advantage of all-season tires is the ability to use them throughout the year. They don't need to be changed. It is enough to regularly check the tire pressure and monitor the tread wear.

The main features of these tires:

Due to the semi-winter tread pattern with its deep grooves on the asphalt, all-season tires are noisy. The noise is especially loud at high speeds.
Compared to seasonal tires, all-season models have a lower coefficient of wheel grip on the road. This leads to an increase in braking distance and a partial deterioration in controllability both in winter and in summer.
Universal tires are recommended for use in mild climates that exclude severe frosts and extreme heat. For example, at an air temperature of -25°C and below, the composition of a universal rubber alloy completely loses its properties and becomes unsafe for use. In extreme heat, all-season tires literally melt into the asphalt, leaving black rubber streaks on it.
The increased elasticity of all-season tires, on the one hand, is needed so that they do not “double” too much in winter. On the other hand, on dry asphalt in the summer they reduce the car's handling.
The shallow tread pattern on year-round tires makes it difficult to get out of drifts.
All-season tires are recommended for inexperienced drivers.
All-season tires are not suitable for sports and racing cars.
For SUVs, instead of universal tires, tires marked All Terrain are better suited, as they work better both on off-road and on snowy surfaces.

According to most experts, it is best to drive on all-season tires in the off-season - in autumn and spring. Especially during periods when weekly and daily fluctuations in ambient temperature lead to a sharp change in tire operating conditions from winter to summer and vice versa.

A few years ago, tire manufacturers began offering a new generation of all-terrain tires. They can automatically change their characteristics, adapting to the climate, air temperature and road surface. But such models are still too expensive for the mass consumer and cannot sufficiently replace seasonal tires.

Is it possible to drive on all-season tires in winter?

From a legislative point of view, the use of all-season tires in winter is not prohibited, but is associated with high risks:

It does not provide good traction between wheels and snow, so it is dangerous for beginners behind the wheel.
At temperatures of -10°C and below, the properties of all-purpose tires quickly decrease. And at -25°C and below, driving on such tires is extremely dangerous.
Many manufacturers establish a temperature range within which the use of all-season wheels from their production is safe. The lower limit of such a corridor is about -5. -7°C.
Universal tires wear out much more intensively than seasonal tires, so the savings from using them are not as noticeable.

Penalty for using all-season tires in winter

According to Russian legislation, it is prohibited to operate cars on summer tires in winter and on winter tires in summer. There is no ban on the use of all-season tires.

But there are some nuances here. All-season tires may have different designations:

AS, or All Season, for any season. Tires with this marking are produced only in Russia and the former republics of the USSR.
AW - for any weather.
M+S, or M&S, for snow and mud. This marking may indicate year-round tires. If along with the marking there is an icon in the form of a mountain and a snowflake, this is winter tires. In Europe, regardless of the additional symbol, such tires are considered winter.
R+W – for road and bad weather. Rare marking used for universal tires for year-round use.

Only wheels marked with the letters M+S or AS are approved for use between December and February inclusive. Universal models with other markings are allowed only from March to November.

There is no penalty for using tires out of season. The inspector can only verbally explain all the dangers that come with operating a car on summer tires in winter. It is necessary to ensure that the tread depth is at least 4 mm for winter tires or 1.6 mm for summer tires.

Outside the Russian Federation, in most countries, driving only on seasonal tires is allowed. EU legislation only distinguishes between summer and winter tires.

Recommendations from experienced drivers

When operating a vehicle on all-purpose tires in winter, you must avoid snowy and icy road surfaces. When driving on all-season tires on snowy surfaces and on ice, you must refrain from sudden maneuvers and especially sudden braking. When cornering at high speeds, the risk of getting into a skid increases greatly, and the chances of getting out of a skid are sharply reduced. All steering movements and operation of the gas and braking pedals should be soft and careful.

Fines for out-of-season tires in 2019 - for studs or winter tires in summer, bald or summer tires in winter

In recent years, there have been regular conversations and rumors that Russia will soon introduce a fine for using winter tires in the summer and summer tires in the winter. They even named exact dates, and sometimes they even named the exact amount of a 2,000 ruble fine for summer tires on a winter road. First of all, we want to reassure all drivers at once - these fines for out-of-season tires were not introduced in 2019, but Bill N 464241-6 “On Amendments to the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Offenses (to ensure safety during the operation of vehicles)” , which stipulated penalties for using summer tires in winter, was not adopted in the first reading.

But what kind of tires can a car owner be fined for if his vehicle runs on summer tires in winter and winter tires in summer? How to behave in a dialogue with a traffic police inspector in the event of a stop and inspection of the car’s wheels?

However, vehicle owners need to know the intricacies of the issue of regulating the legality of using one or another type of car tires in summer and winter, since it is possible that soon another bill will be approved in the State Duma and penalties will be introduced. In this article we will look at the problem in detail.

Are there penalties for out-of-season tires?

Back in 2014, bill No. 464241-6 was introduced into the State Duma of the country, which proposed supplementing Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation with part 3.2:

“Part 3.2 as follows: “3.2 Driving a vehicle in violation of the requirements for the operation of tires and wheels - entails the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of two thousand rubles.”

For two years, consideration of this bill was postponed, but on October 20, 2016, it was sent for consideration to the State Duma and was to be considered in three readings. But in fact, the bill on a fine for using summer tires in winter did not even pass the first reading , and on November 1, 2016, it was decided to postpone its consideration indefinitely, and as of 2019, consideration of the “tire bill” was no longer started.

So what is the fine for summer tires in winter today?

The issue of changing winter and summer tires in Russia today is NOT regulated by anything, and drivers do not need to fear fines for using summer tires in winter, or sanctions for another version of tires that are not suitable for the season - simply because there are no such fines! Car owners, at their own discretion, decide to replace summer tires with winter ones, based on weather conditions and air temperature. If we talk about specific dates, then in central Russia the unspoken guidelines are November 15 for changing tires from summer to winter, and March 15 for switching from winter tires to summer.

Of course, these dates are rather arbitrary, and they differ in certain regions of the Russian Federation. Drivers, relying on common sense, when changing tires, focus not on dates, but on weather conditions. That is, if it’s already spring on the calendar, and there’s still snow on the roads and the forecast promises icy conditions, then no one will “change their shoes” to summer tires . And if in the warm Crimea or Sochi in November, and sometimes even in December, the weather is sunny, warm, and the road surface is dry and clean, then drivers are unlikely to switch to winter tires urgently.

What penalties were offered for summer tires in winter?

As we said above, rumors that in the near future it will be prohibited at the legislative level to “shoe” a vehicle out of season have been circulating for a long time, and several bills were submitted to the State Duma for consideration, but for various reasons, none passed even the first reading. The essence of these tire bills was as follows:

To be fined for driving a vehicle using tires that are not in accordance with the season (the driver must use winter tires in the cold months, or “change the car’s shoes” taking into account the average daily temperature.
To be fined for driving a vehicle on winter tires with studs in the summer.
Refusal of insurance payment in the event that during an accident the culprit’s vehicle was wearing tires that were not appropriate for the season.

But, as we see, so far all these legislative initiatives have not gone further than bills, and you still decide for yourself when to change tires from summer to winter and vice versa! There is no fine for summer tires in winter in the Russian Federation!

Is there a penalty for wearing winter tires in summer?

If you study the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011 “On the safety of wheeled vehicles,” you will find out that it brought new rules for Russian motorists. In this technical regulation, in paragraph 5.5 of Appendix No. 8, there are the following provisions on the use of certain car tires at different times of the year:

You can drive on summer tires from June to August (they must be studless).
From December to February, drivers can take part in road traffic while driving a car shod with winter tires (studded or not).
In the CU regulations 018/2011 you will not find the concept of “all-season tires”.
Compliance with tire wear limits is mandatory.

At the level of regional authorities, it is allowed to change the months of the established ban on the use of tires by season - these nuances must be recorded in regional regulations.

When is it legal to install winter tires in 2019?

Good afternoon, dear reader.

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.

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.

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:

During the summer months (June, July, August) only studded tires are prohibited. This requirement applies to all vehicles.
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, 2018.
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: