In mid-April, the period in which winter tires are compulsory on part of the Italian road network ends. Change with summer is necessary, albeit with some exceptions. Let’s see what traffic regulations prescribe and what penalties are foreseen for offenders
April 13, 2022 – 10:42 am
– Milan
April 15 is approaching bringing with it the obligation to change tires: off the winter, under with the summer tires. The period during which there is the obligation on many roads and motorways of devices for the winter – winter tires or chains on board – starts on November 15 and ends, precisely, on April 15, embracing the coldest period of the year during which is not uncommon to come across rain, ice and snow. A well-established practice, which with the spread of seasonal tires significantly increases road safety by preventing dangerous situations.
TIME UNTIL MAY 15th
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It is easy to assume that in the days immediately close to the deadline of April 15, tire specialists are particularly loaded with work, so it is better to plan the intervention in time. Also because, the Circular of the Civil Motorization 1049/2014 provides for thirty days of tolerance – until May 15 – during which it is possible to drive with winter tires without running the risk of being sanctioned according to the provisions of the Highway Code.
WHY SHOULD THE TIRES BE CHANGED?
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The reason why it is essential to replace winter tires with summer ones lies in the characteristics of the tires designed for the colder season. Many of these – identified with the initials marked by the additional markings M + S, MS, MS or M&S – have a lower speed code than that indicated on the registration document. The Highway Code provides that the size of the tires must be the approved one, while the load code and the speed code must be equal to or greater than those indicated in the booklet. In the case of winter tires, however, a speed code lower than the approved one is allowed, which if lower than the “Q” level (160 km / h) requires a label to be displayed on the car that informs the maximum permitted speed. If the speed code of a winter tire is the same or is higher than the approved one, there is no obligation to replace it, which is still recommended because the particular compound – designed to adhere to the asphalt even in freezing conditions – wears out quickly with the heat. If, on the other hand, the index is lower, it is mandatory to change tires.
ARE WINTER TIRES FORBIDDEN IN ESTATE?
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Is driving with winter tires in summer prohibited? Not always, although it is not recommended to use tires with a compound designed specifically for low temperatures when the August sun heats up the asphalt. If the winter tires have a speed index equal to or higher than that indicated on the registration certificate, they can be left on the vehicle even in summer. If, on the other hand, the tires have a lower speed index than the prescribed one, their use is only allowed in the winter period with the obligation to replace them later. They are made with a silica compound that heats up while rolling, with the tread made in a lamellar conformation. The warmer the rubber on a cold surface, the more flexible and adherent it is to the road thanks to the rubber sipes that act like claws. Features that make thermal tires effective even on snow, so much so as to exempt them from the obligation of chains unless they are in conditions of abundant snowfall. To comply with the Highway Code, the tires installed on any car must comply with the speed code shown on the registration certificate. It is possible to fit winter tires with a speed code lower than that set by the manufacturer, but it must not be lower than level “Q”. In the latter case, it is mandatory to display a label on the car that informs you of the maximum permitted speed. However, the use of these tires is not recommended in the summer, as the high temperatures quickly wear down the tread, limiting grip and grip, especially when braking.
SANCTIONS FOR OFFENDERS
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The use of winter tires outside the prescribed time frame – with the only exceptions mentioned above – is punished with an administrative sanction to which the ancillary deduction of points from the driving license is added. If winter tires have a lower speed code than their summer equivalents – a condition allowed only in the case of thermal tires and only in the period in which the obligation applies – driving on them in the summer risks an administrative penalty ranging from 422 to 1,682 euros, in addition to the ancillary sanction for the withdrawal of the registration certificate and the obligation to visit and test at a provincial headquarters of the DMV, aimed at verifying the restoration of the correct characteristics.
April 13, 2022 – 10:42 am
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