Although studded tires usage isn't banned from November 1st to April 15th every year, their use on city streets is undesirable. Therefore, Reykjavík City encourages drivers to seriously consider before putting studded tires on their vehicles and instead to opt for good winter tires.
Non-studded tires receive high ratings in tests
In a winter tire survey conducted by NAF in Norway, which is a sister organization of FÍB in Iceland, it has been proven that non-studded winter tires are a valid alternative considering driving characteristics, speed (grip), braking, noise, track adherence, and driving sensation. Four types of studless tires score from 83-89 out of 100 points in the survey. They are the Continental VikingContact 7, Michelin X-Ice North 4, Goodyear UltraGrip Arctic 2, and Michelin X-Ice Snow.
Drawbacks of studded tires in Reykjavík
Studded tires have several disadvantages; they wear out the asphalt much more than studless winter tires and expedite deep tracks in the asphalt thus creating danger. Studded tires generate noise that could be avoided by choosing good winter tires instead. They also increase the fuel cost of vehicles.
Therefore, it is important to reduce the proportion of such studded tires on city streets because they cause suspended particulates (I. svifryk) which affect people's respiratory tract and lungs.
The depth of tread patterns in tires impacts how good their grip is. As per the regulation on vehicle manufacture and equipment, a minimum tread depth of three millimeters is required on winter tires of personal cars. This is quite adequate for Reykjavík.
Some facts
- A vehicle with studded tires erodes asphalt and generates suspended particulates up to 40 times faster than a vehicle with non-studded winter tires. Let’s not use studs!
- Up to 67 premature deaths per year can be linked to suspended particulates. And studded tire use is a crucial contributor. Let’s not use studs!
Hence, it is in the air to give up on the studs.