With the approaching cold weather and predicted frosts in Ukraine, drivers are beginning to think about the need to replace summer tires with winter tires. Driving instructor Mykola Krepets provided several important recommendations regarding this process.
Given that the UkrHydromet Center warns of intense frosts in Ukraine during the next two nights due to an anticyclone from the north and a decrease in temperature to 0.5°C in most regions, except for the southeast, the question of replacing summer tires with winter tires arises.
Many drivers postpone the decision to replace tires until later, but after the first snow falls, it may already be too late. Driving instructor Mykola Krepenets advises drivers to change tires in the so-called five-degree mode - from +5 degrees to +10, because summer tires tan in the cold and turn into slippery plastic.
If the temperature ranges from +5 to +10 degrees, then this is already an indicator that the rubber needs to be changed. In general, there are frostbites at night
He noted that all-season rubber is not effective either in winter or summer.
It's like shoes. If you take demi-season shoes, they are cold in winter and hot in summer. That's exactly how this rubber works"
He also emphasized that winter tires can be used in summer, but summer tires cannot be used in winter.
The patrol police have already urged drivers to think about replacing summer tires, stressing that summer tires lose their grip properties at low temperatures, while winter tires, on the contrary, remain elastic even at sub-zero temperatures, which allows better control of the car on winter roads.
The patrolmen also reminded about the winter washer, which can already 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 as not to stand in kilometer-long queues for a tire fitting, or wait for an appointment for it, being afraid to drive a car in order not to get into an accident.
Ukrainian legislation does not regulate when it is necessary to change summer tires to winter ones. According to traffic rules, it is prohibited to operate vehicles with a residual tread pattern 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.
In January of last year, people's deputies submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law that would establish fines for driving a car not equipped with winter and/or all-season tires in the period from November 1 to March 31.
The fine for such a violation was proposed to be set at the level of 340 hryvnias. Currently, the draft law is under consideration in the Council.
