Frost season: a driving instructor tells when to change summer tires for winter ones

Intense frosts are predicted in Ukraine over the next two nights due to the anticyclone, so drivers are faced with the question of when to replace summer tires with winter tires on their cars. Mykola Krepets, a car instructor, answered this question in a commentary to UNN.

Details

As the Ukrainian Weather Center warns of intense frosts in Ukraine over the next two nights due to an anticyclone from the north and a drop in temperature to 0.5°C in most regions except the southeast, the issue of replacing summer tires with winter ones is on the table.

Many drivers postpone the decision to change tires until later, but after the first snow falls, it may be too late. Driving instructor Nikolai Krepenets advises drivers to change tires in the so-called five-degree mode - from +5 degrees to +10 degrees, because summer tires tan in the cold and turn into slippery plastic.

If the temperature ranges from +5 to +10 degrees, this is an indicator that the tires need to be changed. There are frosts at night nowadays

He noted that all-season tires are not effective in winter or summer.

It's like shoes. If you take demi-season shoes, they are cold in winter and hot in summer. This rubber works the same way."

He also emphasized that winter tires can be driven in summer, but summer tires cannot be driven in winter.

The Patrol Police has already urged drivers to consider replacing summer tires, emphasizing that summer tires lose their grip at low temperatures, while winter tires, on the other hand, remain elastic even at sub-zero temperatures, allowing for better control of the car on winter roads.

The patrol policemen also reminded about winter washer fluid, which should be replaced, because the summer one can simply freeze in the tank.

Also, some drivers start changing tires even before the onset of cold weather so that they don't have to stand in kilometer-long lines for tire fitting or wait for an appointment, afraid to drive a car to avoid getting into an accident.

Addendum

Ukrainian legislation does not regulate when summer tires must be replaced with winter tires. According to the traffic rules, it is forbidden to operate vehicles with a residual tread height of less than 1.6 mm. For cars weighing more than 3.5 tons - 1.0 mm, buses - 2.0 mm, motorcycles and mopeds - 0.8 mm.

Last January, MPs introduced a bill to the Verkhovna Rada that would impose fines for driving a car not equipped with winter and/or all-season tires between November 1 and March 31.

The fine for such a violation was proposed to be set at UAH 340. Currently the draft law is still under consideration in the Rada.