The Road Safety Directorate (CSDD) together with the State Police carries out daily road checks during the winter season. The Directorate has found that most drivers use the appropriate winter tires in good faith.
CSDD spokesman Mārtiņš Mālmeisters said that during the previous winter season, CSDD and the police checked more than 7,000 vehicles. There were several cases where the inspection resulted in the removal of the inspection sticker or even the cancellation of the registration plates.
"We urge drivers and owners to make sure now that the winter tires they intend to use this winter season are marked with this marking," said Mālmeisters. "It must be said here, however, that our research during the past winter season shows that winter tyres are indeed all marked with the mountain and snowflake symbol, as only 0.3% of vehicles at our roadside technical inspections during the past winter season did not have a winter tire with this marking."
Mālmeisters explained the differences between winter tires with the 'mountain and snowflake' marking and so-called 'all-season' tires:
"These winter tires are specially tested for winter conditions. Their technical content is designed to allow the vehicle to drive safely in winter conditions. All-season tires, or tires marked only with the M+S designation, are not designed for driving on snow, ice or in wintry conditions. Therefore, such rules are primarily adopted to take care of the reduction of road accidents and to improve road safety."
State Police explained that winter tires with these markings must be used on all cars and vans with a maximum gross vehicle weight of 3.5 tonnes between December 1 and March 1.
Failure to do so will result in a fine.
Winter tires must have a minimum tread depth of 4 millimeters. Drivers are urged to assess their tires in good time to ensure that they comply with this requirement and to remember that if they have a tread depth of 5-6 millimeters at the start of the season, they will not be able to be used throughout the winter season.
