Encourage tire changes now: coronavirus may interfere later

According to the Road Traffic Regulations, winter tires must be put into service from 10 November. According to Andrius Žiukelis, head of the BTA insurer’s Expertise Department, people often postpone this work until the last minute, so there are queues at the services at the beginning of November.

“We recommend not postponing the tire change until November, and take care of it already in the second half of October. On the one hand, the weather changes quite quickly, so if a day outdoors at + 10 ° C, it does not mean that the next may not be hit by a cold, which can make driving on summer tires a dangerous challenge.

Furthermore, this year our daily life is being adjusted by a pandemic, the spread of which is unpredictable, so if some restrictions are introduced, changing tires can become a very stressful situation, as happened during the spring quarantine, “he says. A. Žiukelis.

Does not change for fear of wear

He points out that the first snowfall often falls in October, and even small amounts or sub-zero temperatures affect summer tires: they no longer adhere properly to the asphalt, slip and pose a threat to the safety of car occupants and other users. Of the road.

The expert says that the tire change depends largely on the prevailing weather conditions, if the autumn is warmer and sunnier, drivers are not in a hurry to change tires. The main argument is that prematurely replaced tires will wear out more quickly.

“Winter tires start to wear more intensively at different temperatures. Manufacturers will also indicate a temperature of 7, 9 or 12 ° C. Currently, this temperature is not maintained 24 hours a day and increases for a few hours, usually at midday In the mornings and afternoons, when it is normal for many cars to move, the temperature is already much lower, so the tires are not in danger.

Tire wear accelerates much more than air temperature due to incorrect pressure or unmatched wheel geometry, so when you go to the service, you should not forget to check it ”, assures A. Žiukelis.

“Rolling” tires can cancel the roadworthiness test

According to A. Žiukelis, it is important not only to change the tires immediately, but also not to ignore the already visible or implicit signs of their wear, because driving with these tires will be much safer than with summer tires.

“The main sign of wear is the reduced depth of the tread on the tires. However, over time, the tires also have other defects: the rubber can crack,” bump “and wear unevenly. If such signs are noticed, the obsolete tires must be taken to a large waste collection site and the car must be “wrapped” with new ones, otherwise it would be a saving at the expense of the safety of oneself and other users of the highway.

It is also important to note that all four tires on the car must be of good quality. Some drivers are still used to replacing just the worn pair of tires with new ones, but this option is also not safe in extreme winter driving conditions, ”says the insurance expert.

Remember that the minimum tread depth for winter passenger car tires is 3mm (8 to 9.5mm for new tires). Drivers with tires below the minimum depth also run the risk of their cars being dropped from mandatory roadworthiness tests.