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Each all-season tyre is a winter tyre

Poland is the only country in Europe with such a climate where the regulations do not provide for the requirement to drive on winter or all-season tyres in autumn and winter conditions. However, Polish drivers are ready for such regulations – as many as 82% of respondents support them[1]. However, the declarations alone are not sufficient – with such a high support for the introduction of the requirement to drive on safe tyres, workshop observations still show that as many as 35% of drivers use summer tyres in winter[2]. And that's in January and February. Now, in December, only about 50% of those who say that their tyres have been replaced have already done so. In other words, only about 30% of passenger cars and light vans currently driving on the road have winter or all-season tyres. This indicates that there should be clear rules – from which date it is safe to equip our car with such tyres.

– In our climate – with hot summers and still cold winters – winter approved tyres, i.e. winter and all-season tyres, are the only guarantee of safe driving in the winter months. Let's not forget that the risk of road accidents and collisions is 6 times greater in winter than in summer[3]. The braking distance of the vehicle on wet surfaces at temperatures as low as 5-7 degrees C – so often occurring already in the autumn – when using winter tyres is much shorter than with summer tyres. The missing several meters to stop before the obstacle is the reason for such a large number of accidents, bumps and fatalities on Polish roads – draws attention Piotr Sarnecki, General Director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association (PTIA).

In 27 European countries that have introduced the requirement to drive tyres with winter approval, there has been an average 46% reduction in the probability of a road accident compared to driving summer tyres in winter conditions – these are the conclusions of the European Commission study of selected aspects of tyre use related to safety[4]. This report also proved that introducing a legal requirement to drive on winter-approved tyres reduces the number of fatal accidents by 3% – and this is just an average as there are countries that have seen a 20% drop in accidents.

Why does introducing such a requirement change everything? Because drivers have a clearly defined deadline and do not have to wonder whether to replace the tyres or not yet. In Poland, this weather date is December 1. Since then, temperatures throughout the country are below 5-7 degrees C – and this is the limit when good grip of summer tyres ends.

Summer tyres do not provide adequate adhesion of the car, even on a dry road at temperatures below 7ºC – then the rubber in the tread hardens, which worsens the grip, especially on wet, slippery roads. The braking distance is lengthened and the ability to transmit torque to the road surface is significantly reduced[5]. The tread rubber of winter and all-season tyres has a softer compound that does not harden at lower temperatures. This means that they do not lose their flexibility and have better grip than summer tyres in cold temperatures, even on a dry road, in rain, and especially on snow.

Recordings from Auto Express and RAC tests on winter tyres[6] show how much tyres adequate to the temperature, humidity and slippery surface help the driver to control the vehicle and confirm the difference between winter and summer tyres – not only on snowy roads, but also on wet roads while cool autumn and winter temperatures:

• On a snow-covered road, at a speed of 48 km/h, a car with winter tyres will brake earlier than a car with summer tyres by 31 meters!

• On wet roads, at a speed of 80 km/h and a temperature of + 6 ° C, the braking distance of a car running on summer tyres was longer by as much as 7 meters than that of a car running on winter tyres. The most popular cars are just over 4 meters long. When the car with winter tyres came to a safe stop, the machine with summer tyres was still driving at a speed of over 32 km / h.
• On a wet surface, at a speed of 90 km/h and a temperature of + 2 ° C, the braking distance of a car running on summer tyres was longer by as much as 11 meters than that of a car running on winter tyres.

Remember that approved winter and all-season tyres are those with the so-called alpine symbol – snowflake on mountain background. The M + S symbol, which can still be found on the tyres, is only a description of the suitability of the tread for mud and snow, however, it is given discretionally by tyre manufacturers. Tyres with M + S alone, but without the snow flake symbol on the mountain, lack the softer winter rubber compound - which is crucial in cold conditions. A self-contained M + S without an Alpine symbol means that the tyre is neither a winter nor an all-season tyre.

– The growing awareness of Polish drivers gives hope that more and more people will use winter or all-season tyres in winter – now as many as one third put themselves and others at risk by driving summer tyres in winter. Let's not wait for the first snow. Remember – it's better to put on winter tyres even a few weeks too early than one day too late – ads Sarnecki.

17.12.2020

Each all-season tyre is a winter tyre

Drivers do not know when to replace their tyres and therefore half of them still use summer tyres

What do winter and all-season tyres have in common? Winter approval. From the point of view of the law, they are therefore no different. Both types have an alpine symbol (a snowflake against a mountain background) on the side – so they meet the definition of tyres adapted more or less to cold temperatures and winter conditions. In all countries that require winter tyres, this also includes all-season tyres. Therefore, it is better to invest in all-season tyres than to use summer tyres in winter. Only the introduction of a statutory requirement for winter-approved tyres can stop the thoughtlessness of some drivers who use summer tyres in winter.

Poland is the only country in Europe with such a climate where the regulations do not provide for the requirement to drive on winter or all-season tyres in autumn and winter conditions. However, Polish drivers are ready for such regulations – as many as 82% of respondents support them[1]. However, the declarations alone are not sufficient – with such a high support for the introduction of the requirement to drive on safe tyres, workshop observations still show that as many as 35% of drivers use summer tyres in winter[2]. And that's in January and February. Now, in December, only about 50% of those who say that their tyres have been replaced have already done so. In other words, only about 30% of passenger cars and light vans currently driving on the road have winter or all-season tyres. This indicates that there should be clear rules – from which date it is safe to equip our car with such tyres.

– In our climate – with hot summers and still cold winters – winter approved tyres, i.e. winter and all-season tyres, are the only guarantee of safe driving in the winter months. Let's not forget that the risk of road accidents and collisions is 6 times greater in winter than in summer[3]. The braking distance of the vehicle on wet surfaces at temperatures as low as 5-7 degrees C – so often occurring already in the autumn – when using winter tyres is much shorter than with summer tyres. The missing several meters to stop before the obstacle is the reason for such a large number of accidents, bumps and fatalities on Polish roads – draws attention Piotr Sarnecki, General Director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association (PTIA).

In 27 European countries that have introduced the requirement to drive tyres with winter approval, there has been an average 46% reduction in the probability of a road accident compared to driving summer tyres in winter conditions – these are the conclusions of the European Commission study of selected aspects of tyre use related to safety[4]. This report also proved that introducing a legal requirement to drive on winter-approved tyres reduces the number of fatal accidents by 3% – and this is just an average as there are countries that have seen a 20% drop in accidents.

Why does introducing such a requirement change everything? Because drivers have a clearly defined deadline and do not have to wonder whether to replace the tyres or not yet. In Poland, this weather date is December 1. Since then, temperatures throughout the country are below 5-7 degrees C – and this is the limit when good grip of summer tyres ends.

Summer tyres do not provide adequate adhesion of the car, even on a dry road at temperatures below 7ºC – then the rubber in the tread hardens, which worsens the grip, especially on wet, slippery roads. The braking distance is lengthened and the ability to transmit torque to the road surface is significantly reduced[5]. The tread rubber of winter and all-season tyres has a softer compound that does not harden at lower temperatures. This means that they do not lose their flexibility and have better grip than summer tyres in cold temperatures, even on a dry road, in rain, and especially on snow.

Recordings from Auto Express and RAC tests on winter tyres[6] show how much tyres adequate to the temperature, humidity and slippery surface help the driver to control the vehicle and confirm the difference between winter and summer tyres – not only on snowy roads, but also on wet roads while cool autumn and winter temperatures:

·        On a snow-covered road, at a speed of 48 km/h, a car with winter tyres will brake earlier than a car with summer tyres by 31 meters!

·        On wet roads, at a speed of 80 km/h and a temperature of + 6 ° C, the braking distance of a car running on summer tyres was longer by as much as 7 meters than that of a car running on winter tyres. The most popular cars are just over 4 meters long. When the car with winter tyres came to a safe stop, the machine with summer tyres was still driving at a speed of over 32 km / h.

·        On a wet surface, at a speed of 90 km/h and a temperature of + 2 ° C, the braking distance of a car running on summer tyres was longer by as much as 11 meters than that of a car running on winter tyres.

Remember that approved winter and all-season tyres are those with the so-called alpine symbol – snowflake on mountain background. The M + S symbol, which can still be found on the tyres, is only a description of the suitability of the tread for mud and snow, however, it is given discretionally by tyre manufacturers. Tyres with M + S alone, but without the snow flake symbol on the mountain, lack the softer winter rubber compound - which is crucial in cold conditions. A self-contained M + S without an Alpine symbol means that the tyre is neither a winter nor an all-season tyre.

– The growing awareness of Polish drivers gives hope that more and more people will use winter or all-season tyres in winter – now as many as one third put themselves and others at risk by driving summer tyres in winter. Let's not wait for the first snow. Remember – it's better to put on winter tyres even a few weeks too early than one day too late – ads Sarnecki.

More information: https://ptia.org.pl/en/index.html

Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association

 

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