Summer tyres can do, if conditions allow

The police will assess whether use of winter tyres is necessary as summer tyres could be used, if the conditions allow, although law stipulates 1 November to 31 March for using winter tyres.

Pursuant to the new Road Traffic Act, winter tyres must be used, if so required by the weather or road surface conditions during the stipulated period, said the National Police Board in a press release.

“The new Road Traffic Act introduced stricter rules for the use of winter tyres between 1 November and 31 March, as winter tyres must be used even in November and March, from now on, should the weather or road conditions so require,” said National Police Board Chief Superintendent Heikki Kallio.

On the other hand, the reform means that if the use of winter tyres is not required by the weather or road conditions, driving on summer tyres is permitted even in the winter months.

“The Road Traffic Act refers to road conditions in which the use of winter tyres is necessary due to existing or possible slippery road surface conditions in the local road network, including the smaller roads,” said Kallio.

In individual cases, the traffic supervisor, in most cases the police, specifies whether the conditions are such that winter tyres should be used.

Kallio said between November and January, a total of 75 fines and 36 traffic penalty fees have been issued for the use of summer tyres in winter conditions.

“Some drivers having used summer tyres in winter condition have caused collisions or driven off the road. That is why the police urge people to consider very carefully whether it is wise to drive on summer tyres,” he added.

The purpose of the new Road Traffic Act is to emphasise road users’ responsibility in traffic. The regulation on winter tyres also relies on the driver’s discretion.

“When it is slippery, you must not drive on summer tyres. This means that you should not go out driving on summer tyres, if snow or other slippery conditions are forecast for the day. If the slippery conditions “come as a surprise”, you must not start driving, for example, back home, unless the car has winter tyres,” said Kallio.

If there is snow on the roads, the conditions are clearly wintry. But if occasional sections of the road are icy due to night frost, the conditions are not necessarily classified as wintry.

The new Road Traffic Act entered into force on 1 June 2020.