Mandatory application of winter tires will begin on December 1

Within the scope of the regulations of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, winter tires are mandatory for all commercial vehicles between December 1 and April 1. For private cars the use of winter tires is recommended, although there is no legal requirement.

Companies that do not have winter tires installed on their vehicles, although it is mandatory, will be fined 1,152 lira by 2022. The penalty for not using winter tires will be updated from January 1, 2023, within the framework of the rate revaluation to be announced by the Ministry of Finance.

‘In addition to SAFETY, FUEL SAVINGS’

Esra Ertuğrul Boran, Marketing Manager of the AKO Group, which includes Petlas tires, said that driving safety starts with the tires that provide vehicle contact with the ground.

Explaining that winter tires provide much shorter braking distance and pulling power than summer tires, Boran said this provides comfort and road safety for the driver in cold and snowy weather.

“Winter tires have a soft compound that prevents hardening at temperatures between +7 and -40 degrees, and tread patterns that increase grip on snowy and icy roads. Winter tires provide 50 percent better handling in cold weather than summer tires. Shortens stopping distance by up to 50 percent. When winter tires are used in winter and summer tires in summer, the rolling resistance of both tires will be low, extending their service life by up to 2 times.

Boran noted that winter tires not only provide road and passenger safety but also fuel economy, saying the tire reduces skidding by increasing road grip on snowy terrain, allowing you to cover more distance with less gas.

Saying that winter tires used in summer cause higher fuel consumption by providing more grip on the road, Boran said it’s much more economical and safer to use seasonal tires.

Stating that winter tires are specially designed to allow vehicles to stick to the road on wet, snowy or icy roads, Boran said: “This feature of winter tires must be approved by EU regulations. It is identified with a special 3-peak snowflake marking (3PMSF-Three Peak Mountain Snow Flake), which indicates that the winter tires meet this standard. Tires with this marking on the sidewall are called winter tires. This sign indicates that your tire can provide road safety in winter conditions. he said.

WINTER TIRE CHANGE FEES

Boran gave the following information about winter tires and replacement fees:

“Winter tires in size 205/55 R16, which is the most widely used size in Turkey, are offered for sale in the price range of 1,100-1,700 lira. Tire removal and installation fees range from 150 to 200 lira for passenger cars and 200 to 300 lira for sport utility vehicles and light commercial vehicles. The tire hotel fee is applied at an average of 150-200 TL for 4 tires. In many dealerships, the disassembly and tire hotel services are offered as a package, and the prices for these two services are between 300 and 400 lira.” (AA)