Winter tires in summer fine

You will be fined for using winter tires in summer.

Many drivers, especially inexperienced ones, often forget or simply do not have time to change the seasonal tires on their car. As a result, at best, they can be stopped by a traffic police officer, and at worst, this can lead to more serious consequences - an accident.

At the same time, the danger comes not only from driving on summer tires in winter, but also vice versa - in summer on winter wheels. In the article we will look at what fines are imposed for wearing winter tires in the summer, as well as other types of liability for incorrect “shoes” of the car.

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:

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

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.

Amount of fine

When developing the bill, it was planned to fine drivers up to 2,000 rubles for driving on out-of-season tires. As a result, this initiative was not supported, therefore, according to the Code of Administrative Offenses, the fine for this offense is minimal - according to the general norm for driving a vehicle that does not meet technical requirements - 500 rubles .

The penalty for repeating such a violation remains the same.

Since the concepts of winter and summer tires are new in our legislation, it is expected that additions will be made in the near future regarding the amount of punishment.

Tread height

Since January 2015, the rules regarding tire tread height have also changed. As before, the tread of summer tires must be at least 1.6 mm, but now there are minimum height values for winter tires - 4 mm .

If you are stopped by traffic police for violating these standards, the fine will also be 500 rubles.

Studded tires

Many people are also concerned about the issue of tires with studs. There is no separate fine for studded tires in 2019, since the new regulation of the Customs Union does not provide for the concept of “studded tires” at all.

Therefore, in this case, general standards will be used, namely, studded tires are equal to winter tires and the fine for driving them in the summer is 500 rubles .

Video: New technical regulations on tire seasonality

Many motorists may argue with the new fines, since the traffic rules do not contain the concepts of winter and summer tires. However, the norms of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union are norms of international law and are equivalent to domestic legislation. However, in order to avoid misunderstandings, traffic regulations may soon change, and it is also possible to add a separate type of sanctions to the Code of Administrative Offenses for driving on off-season tires.

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.

Is it possible to drive on winter tires in summer and what is the fine?

On winter tires in summer

Driving on winter tires in summer is prohibited. And we are talking specifically about the summer months: June, July and August. But there are nuances when you can run into a fine for this, and in what cases it can be avoided without losing the increased risk of getting into an accident due to seasonality discrepancies. Now let’s talk about exactly what laws regulate the seasonality of the use of winter and summer tires and what fines are provided for tires that do not correspond to the season.

What do the traffic rules say?

The direct answer to our main question says absolutely nothing useful. Traffic regulations regulate the condition of tires and wheels, as well as the combination of their use on different axles.

But whether it is possible to drive on winter tires in the summer, as well as the possibility of using summer tires in the winter, is regulated by the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union “ On the safety of wheeled vehicles ”. It is he who prohibits the use in the summer months of tires labeled as winter, but only studded.

5.5. It is prohibited to operate vehicles equipped with tires with anti-skid studs in the summer (June, July, August) .
.
The terms of the operation ban may be changed upward by regional government bodies of the member states of the Customs Union.

Thus, you can drive in the summer on winter tires if they are not studded, but studded ones are prohibited.

What's wrong with my region?

As can be seen from the quote above, each region can change the timing of the ban on the use of winter tires in summer. You can find out this on the websites of the administrations of your regions or on the website of the government of the subject. But at the moment, not a single region has changed these dates, despite the difference in climate in our large country.

What's the fine?

Here's some good news! Despite the direct ban on driving a vehicle with winter tires in the summer, there is no punishment for this in 2019: no fine, no operating ban, no other sanctions from the Administrative Code.

If a traffic police officer tries to deceive you, demand that you indicate a specific article of the Code of Administrative Offenses. In any case, it is indicated in the resolution and protocol - this obligation is regulated by the Administrative Code. And the Code of Administrative Offenses has an article - 12.5, part 1, which provides for a fine of 500 rubles for driving under conditions under which such driving is prohibited.

But this article has a direct reference to traffic rules, and the latter do not contain any prohibition. We have already mentioned above that such a ban is contained in the Technical Regulations.

What can a fine be issued for?

But there are other requirements for tires - specifically even for winter tires, because at the moment you are using them. We described in detail how winter and summer tires formally differ in another article about summer tires in winter. In short, this is the marking of a snowflake on a mountain with three peaks or the meaning of “M+S”, “M&S”, “MS”.

This is what she looks like:

That is, even if the tires are even studded, but there is no indicated marking, then formally you are not violating anything.

So, all requirements for winter tires, for which a fine may be issued, are regulated by the Traffic Regulations, specifically, Section 5 of the Main Faults (Appendix to the Traffic Regulations). Let's list them:

tread depth of at least 4 mm (and it doesn’t matter that you use winter tires in the summer, a smaller residual depth is prohibited specifically for tires labeled as winter tires); but the requirement is relevant only if there are no wear indicators on the tires. If so, then, according to these indicators;
There is damage on the tires in the form of:
1. cuts, peeling, tears, if the cord is visible (it does not matter whether the cord threads are broken or not),
2. separation of the tread from the “side”;
if the tires do not correspond to the vehicle speed or load index;
on one axle (front or rear) there are different tires, except for new and used ones (if they are not retreaded tires);
studded tires are installed at the same time as non-studded tires.

If you do not comply with the above requirements, then a fine of 500 rubles becomes legal.

If the studs on studded tires come out

Let's consider a slightly more complex situation - when the car has winter tires, but without the remaining studs - is it possible to drive on such tires? Yes. According to the letter of the quotation from the Technical Regulations, the ban refers to a car equipped with tires with studs

The same applies to Velcro - winter tires that a priori are not equipped with studs.

But if the spikes remain, then another requirement with a fine awaits you. About him below.

What is the penalty for driving in winter on summer tires?

On November 1, it became known about the introduction of new clauses into the federal law “On the safety of wheeled vehicles.” Amendments have been made regarding the requirements for using different types of tires in winter. Now driving certain categories of cars without winter tires between December and February is punishable by fines.

New rules on tires in winter

The bill came into force on November 11, 2018. It sets the deadlines for changing summer and winter tires. The amendments do not apply to all-season tires, but studded tires are prohibited in the summer season. The main amendments made to the traffic rules:

Specifications for winter tires have been established, depending on the category and load capacity of the vehicle.
Tires are supposed to be changed in winter on cars of categories M1 and N1 (passenger cars, minibuses, buses).
A fine has been introduced for tires that do not correspond to the season.
Sanctions for the car owner in case of non-compliance with the established technical specifications (according to paragraph 5 of the 8th appendix of the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union).
A fine is not imposed if the flaws are minor - this is decided by the traffic police inspector. In this case, the driver is only given a reprimand.
The bill does not provide for a clause regarding all-season tires. When issuing a fine, the inspector will be guided by the markings on the tires and their technical characteristics.

Tires must be changed from December 1st. The use of winter tires is allowed until 1 month of spring, but in some cities the official date for changing tires to winter differs. This happens due to the temperature difference in different parts of Russia.

How much do you have to pay for the fine?

Today there is no penalty for summer tires in winter. From November 11, 2018, in accordance with Article 12.5 of Part 1 of the Administrative Code, a car owner can only be fined if they use worn tires. The fine in this case is 500 rubles . Additional penalties (deprivation of license, car) are not provided.

Since 2016, clause 3.2 in Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses has been developed, according to which it was decided: for failure to comply with operational standards for tires, the car owner is subject to an administrative fine of 2,000 rubles. The bill had some flaws and therefore did not come into force.

The sanctions apply to tires whose tread depth is less than 4 millimeters. At the same time, the traffic police inspector imposes a fine only in a situation where such tires are used on an icy road. During such a period, the use of tires that do not comply with the rules leads to an increase in the number of accidents with serious consequences.

Start of fine periods

The official date of entry into force of the law on winter treads is December 1. The date is subject to change by authorities. The unofficial date when it is recommended to “change your shoes” is November 15th.

According to clause 5.5 of Appendix 8 of the Technical Regulations, the season for using winter tires is the beginning of December and the end of February . But it is impossible to answer the question exactly how long this period lasts. Sometimes the ice lasts until March. In such cases, regional authorities may increase the time of use of winter protectors.

As of November 11, amendments were made to the technical regulations that establish: the timing of the use of winter tires can be regulated by government agencies both in the region and throughout the country.

Regarding all-season tires, the bill states that they can only be used with special markings. But at temperatures below 7 degrees it is recommended to change it to winter. This rule does not apply to vehicles of category B (M1 and N1) - only studded or non-studded winter tires are allowed for them in winter. Below is a table of tires approved for use in winter:

Fine for winter tires in 2019

Content:

Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation dictates the conditions under which the movement of a vehicle is prohibited. It also establishes various penalties in the form of fines for violations.

At the same time, the article does not provide clear recommendations on when to replace winter tires. Recommendations for replacing tires are established by the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union TR CU 018/2011. In Article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offences, we will not find any references to regulations. This means that the driver will not be punished for untimely replacement of the “winter” and vice versa.

It is prohibited to operate a car with winter studded tires in the summer, but there is no fine for this. The State Duma is considering this bill. Perhaps already in 2020, the driver will have to pay a fine for tires that do not comply with the regulations.

There is a penalty in the form of a fine for using winter tires in a worn condition. For such a violation you will have to pay 500 rubles. The requirements for winter tires are stated in the Russian Traffic Regulations.

If there is no wear indicator on winter tires, the remaining tread depth for a light car of category M1 is 4 mm. Winter tires can be studded or non-studded, but with the markings: “M+S”, “M&S”, “MS”. If you have received a fine that you consider to be unlawful, you can always seek advice from a specialist.

Don't have time to read the article?

When to change tires for winter

Clause 5.5 of Appendix 8 of the Customs Union Regulations TR CU 018/2011 dictates the rules for the use of tires. There are two periods:

The summer period is the months from June to August. Operating a car in summer with studded tires is unacceptable. Thus, you can drive on summer tires from March to November. The unofficial replacement date is considered to be March 15;
The winter period is considered to be the months from December to February. Operating a car with summer tires in winter is unacceptable. In winter, you can use studded and non-studded tires, but with the markings “M+S”, “M&S”, “MS” on the tires. Thus, winter studded tires can be used from September to May. The unofficial date for replacing tires for the winter is November 15th.

These deadlines may be extended by local authorities due to geographic location and/or weather conditions. Despite the fact that the driver does not face a fine, tires must be changed promptly in the interests of safety.

Which tires to choose for the winter

According to statistics, in 2018, 85% of Russians preferred studded tires over Velcro tires. “Velcro” is the popular name for studless rubber.

The advantage of such a “winter” is year-round use if labeled “M+S”, “M&S”, “MS”. However, experts vote for the use of studded winter “footwear,” which has proven to be much more effective both in the periphery and in megacities. The studs have better traction in icy conditions and on poorly cleared roads.

By the way, Norway conducted an experiment in 2004 and introduced a ban on thorns in the winter. The number of accidents has increased several times, especially in small towns.