From the 15th of November 2023, in Italy, it will be mandatory to fit winter tires on cars. To avoid penalties, it is essential to respect the rules of the Highway Code and therefore change tires, having those dedicated to low temperatures fitted.
The Italian law provides for the obligation to wear winter tires - or alternatively all-season tires - starting from the 15th of November 2023 and until the 15th of April 2024, with a one-month exemption both at the beginning and at the end of the "winter window". Consequently, from the 15th of October and no later than the 15th of November 2023, winter tires will need to be fitted.
Otherwise, you must have snow chains or snow socks available in the trunk to use if necessary.
The Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport imposed this rule because the roads in winter are not as safe as in summer: they are often wet, icy or snow-covered, and the level of tire grip is limited. The obligation, as mentioned, is to have either tires or chains or snow socks: all three are options currently allowed by law.
In the cold season, however, winter tires guarantee more safety on the road than summer ones, as their characteristics adapt better to the climatic conditions.
The main reasons are linked to greater road safety, to have maximum grip regardless of the road surface and its conditions, and to have more than sufficient performance even at low temperatures, therefore leading to lower fuel consumption and polluting emissions. In fact, by using winter tyres, excessive wear is avoided.
Winter tires not only comply with legal requirements but also give much-needed greater safety, grip and stability on snowy or icy roads.
These tyres, for example, outperform All Season tires when temperatures drop below 7 degrees centigrade.
Winter tires, thermal tires and snow tires are terms that indicate particular types of tires certified by the manufacturer, which feature the writing M+S and the Alpine pictogram of a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake, known by the acronym 3PMSF (3 Peaks Mountain Snow Flake), confirming the passing of a specific approval test.
These tires are made differently than summer tires: they guarantee the car greater grip on the road surface and therefore greater safety for the driver, passengers and other drivers.
Winter tires have specific tread designs that discharge water much more quickly, significantly reducing the risk of aquaplaning.
Aquaplaning can occur in the case of very wet asphalt or in the presence of puddles of water which lead to the car "floating" due to the inability of the tread to quickly expel the water.
When the temperature drops below 7° C, winter tires significantly reduce braking distances both on wet surfaces at low temperatures and on snow compared to the same summer tire.
At the same speed, winter tires allow better performance in all road conditions. A higher level of grip guarantees a high level of traction, stability and braking efficiency, which allows you to maintain constant driving pleasure.
Last but not least, alternating the use of summer tires with winter ones, in addition to ensuring maximum safety in different environmental conditions, increases the total mileage of the tires. Why so? The tire compounds are designed to last as long as possible, especially if used in the periods indicated for their use.
If you don't intend to change your car in the short term, therefore, having two sets of tires is a long-term investment because if it is true that the expense is significant, it is also true that for half the year you use one type of tire and for half the other, so they will last you at least double the time of a set only. In addition to the fact that, as mentioned previously, if used in the correct season, tires have an even longer life because they are specifically designed to have reduced consumption at the expected temperatures.
ATTENTION: of all the possible ways to save money, fitting winter tires only to the driving wheels is the worst, despite being legal in Italy: it makes the non-driving wheels at risk of losing grip when cornering. Which, simply put, means you're very likely to spin out.
The choice of suitable tires mainly depends on your driving style and on your needs.
For example, if you drive daily all year round in mountain or countryside areas where the road is easily wet or icy, especially early in the morning, choose first-rate, high-performance winter tires.
If, however, you drive in the city every day but cover many kilometers and safety is important to you, the best solution is to choose a tire with a high fuel economy coefficient for better comfort and reduced noise.
In summary, as in any field, the first thing is to identify the real personal needs and then proceed to choose the best product based on them.
Chains are an alternative to winter tires, in compliance with the Italian ordinance which imposes the obligation from 11/15 to 04/15 of each year.
Some considerations must be made on this issue because it is true that, by law, chains are equivalent to the installation of winter tires and therefore certify compliance with the obligation. However, owning chains means having an effective tool available in the event of heavy snowfall (not dusting), which however requires correct assembly which very often requires time and skill.
Furthermore, chains cannot help in the event of wet or icy roads: in these cases winter tires, in addition to being significantly more functional, can help increase the safety of the car.
Let us also remember that with chains there is an obligation to proceed at a speed not exceeding 50km/h, significantly reducing driving comfort due to vibrations and noise.
But how do you make sure you fit the best winter tires to your vehicle?
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The Type of the car is a code that the producer assigns to each vehicle in order to distinguish it from similar models.
You can find this code in the italian registration certificate in two places: At point D.2, Vehicle type, or at point E, vehicle identification number.
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