Are studded snow tyres legal in the UK?
1st October 2022Studded snow tyres are illegal in the UK as they cause grievous damage to UK roads. However, there are certain instances where you can use studded tyres legally such as if you are driving in an off-road environment.
What are studded winter tyres?
Studded tyres are equipped with extra studs and are specifically designed for winter environments. Studs are inserted into the tyre tread, and are designed to provide an extra grip to the road surface. Studded tyres are good for adding much needed stability in extreme winter weather conditions, as the extra studs aid vehicle handling.
Each stud weighs roughly around 2 grams and consists of two parts. The base of each stud is made of either steel, aluminium, or plastic. The stud component itself is made of tungsten carbide, a material which is popular due to its extreme resistance to abrasion.
The difference between winter tyres and studded tyres?
Winter tyres and studded tyres are very different - winter tyres are not modified for thick snow or ice, instead they are intended for slippery roads. However, winter tyres will still provide more grip than your regular summer tyres, as winter tyres are adapted with thicker grooves. Winter tyres are also made with more silica, which allows the tyre to stay soft even in cold temperatures. Whereas summer tyres tend to harden in the winter, causing the tyres to slip along the road as opposed to gripping it. In addition to this, the rubber blocks on a winter tyre are designed to vibrate whilst they move, allowing any clogged-up snow to be efficiently released from the grooves. Learn more about the difference between summer and winter tyres from our guide.
Effects of studded tyres on the road
Studded tyres, on the other hand, are great for gripping into thick snow and ice, as they provide a lot of traction for adverse weather conditions. However, if you are not driving in these conditions, then the tyres will cause serious damage to the road surface. Using studded tyres unnecessarily is not cost smart, as the tyres are likely to damage themselves as they have no snow to grip onto.
In normal conditions, studded tyres create a great amount of frictional resistance causing the tyres to create holes in the tarmac. A US report showed that snow tyres were responsible for causing $8.5 billion worth of damage on the road.
When can studded winter tyres be used?
Studded tyres can only legally be used in off-road environments, such as country roads, farms and dirt tracks. Snow tyres are a legal requirement in some parts of Europe and America. In countries such as Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and others it is a necessity to have studded tyres, as their winter climates are harsher in comparison to the UK.
The history of studded tyres
Studded tyres were first invented in Scandinavia during the 1950s - they helped drivers navigate through snow-covered roads with much more ease than normal tyres did. Due to this, studded tyres became widespread across Europe and America in the 1960s and 70s.
However, the effects of studded tyres on the road soon became published - research found that when studded tyres were used on roads in mild conditions, they severely damaged the roads. This caused many governments across America and Europe to ban these tyres outright.
Find out more about winter tyres at a branch near you. Or, if you simply would like to find the right tyres for your car, do not hesitate to contact our helpful team!
BACK TO ARTICLES
