Do your tires have enough tread?

At this time of year, winter has a habit of arriving with a bang and with little warning. When this happens, it's good not to have to rummage through every compartment in the car in a desperate search for an ice scraper — or to still be on summer tyres. But according to the law, all vehicles must be fitted with tyres with a minimum tread depth of 3 mm, from 1 November.

This time last year, a severe snowstorm hit the capital area without warning, and in an instant, cars were stuck on main roads and in residential streets because many were still on summer tyres. On that fateful day, there were 80 call-outs due to collisions in the capital area — the same number as in an average week. Reports of accidents to insurance companies were even more numerous, and it is clear that the total number of collisions that day ran into the hundreds.

Why tread depth matters

Research shows that when a car travelling at 50 kilometres per hour on winter tyres is braked on snow, it comes to a stop after 25–32 metres. If, however, the car is on summer tyres, it does not stop until after as much as 63 metres. That is the equivalent of sliding the entire length of Laugardalslaug swimming pool and a further 13 metres up the bank. Good winter tyres can make the difference between stopping a car in time or not. In traffic — for example, when there is a risk of a rear-end collision or another type of accident — a shorter braking distance can be decisive.

The difference lies in the fact that tread depth must be at least 3 mm and the tyres must be properly siped so that they provide good grip in Icelandic conditions. The deeper the tread, the better the grip and the shorter the braking distance on wet or icy roads. However, it is worth bearing in mind that a tread depth of 3 mm in November is not necessarily still 3 mm in April, as tyres wear with use — which is why it is important to keep a close eye on the condition of your tyres.

From 1 November to 14 April, all vehicles must have the minimum tread depth on their tyres, and failing to ensure this can prove costly. The police monitor tyre use across the country and issue fines for each tyre that does not meet the requirements of the law.

Don't wait for the first snowfall

Although it may be tempting to put off checking your tyres when the streets are still clear of snow and there is little frost, the first real snowfall of winter can arrive with very little notice. By then, it is too late to discover that the old winter tyres that seemed like they could "manage one more winter" simply do not have sufficient grip. Winter tyres are safety equipment. They keep the car stable when driving straight and around corners, and most importantly, they help us stop when something unexpected happens.

Let us therefore check our tyres before winter makes the decision for us. If they are worn, now is the time to replace them — not when the car is stuck or sliding out of control in the first icy conditions.