Do you know that not all tyres are ideal for winters? It is because snowfall leads to loss of traction. However, one cannot blindly use winter tyres as there are certain laws which regulate their usage.
Winter tyres were innovated to perform in cold areas. These tyres consist of special tread design which has the ability to provide a firm grip on a cold and snowy surface. When it snows, sometimes it covers the whole highway and it becomes very difficult to pass through it with normal tyres. Winter tyres are designed to enhance balancing and handling of the vehicle on snowy and wet surface.
Winter tyres are made up of a firm rubber compound that remains intact in winters. However, in warm temperatures, it does not remain supple and results in loss of traction. A winter tyre incorporates many vital features such as deep tread blocks which helps in providing protection against aquaplaning. In spite of all these characteristics, winter tyres are not expensive which makes them a great deal for a person living in a cold area.
LAW REGARDING WINTER TYRES IN DIFFERENT EUROPE & UK
EUROPE
This is an interesting fact about winter tyres. They are required by the law in some of the European nations. It is because they provide safety to the passengers, they are considered very important in countries receiving snowfall.
In some of the European countries, there is a strict policy regarding the use of winter tyres and could get heavily penalized for not having them. It is recommended to mount them before winter arrives, that is, probably in the month of October & November. This step was taken to prevent the road accidents and to take the figure to zero in winters.
In Austria, the rule states that one should fit the tyres for six months, from November to April, to avoid penalty. If one fails to do so, he/she will have to pay the sum of 5000 pounds.
UK
In UK, there is no such law. There are some parts of the state where weather becomes really harsh during the end of the year. Legal authorities allow the use of winter tyres in such areas but the depth of the tread should remain more than 2mm. Winter tyres are not very popular in UK and the authorities do not recommend them.
There is an interesting protocol regarding the winter tyres in UK which states that if a person wants to fit these tyres, he should inform the insurance company about it. One cannot fit these tyres without informing the company as it nullifies the insurance policy. The insured gets nothing in such cases.
