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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

The development of winter tyre condition 2001-2010

Talvirenkaiden kunnon kehittyminen vuosina 2001-2010

This study evaluated the type and state of repair of tyres in winter 2010 and compared the results to those obtained in winter 2001. In addition, the drivers were requested to assess the condition of the tyres of their vehicles and the current time limits of winter tyres and studded tyres in Finland. The most recent data set included 1,508 passenger cars and vans. The main results showed that - based on the examination of the left front tyre - the proportion of vehicles equipped with tolerable or poor tread pattern depth (less than 5.5 mm) decreased during the 9 years from 15% to 4%. However, 8.6% of vehicles were still equipped with one or more tolerable or poor tyre(s). During each winter, the tyres with the lowest tread pattern depth were found in vehicles driven by young drivers although they were infrequently responsible for the replacement of tyres. The proportion of unstudded tyres in cars was about the same in 2001 and 2010 (11.8% and 12.3%, respectively) but the proportion of unstudded tyres in vans fell from 6.2% to 3.1%. While the drivers in 2001 frequently overestimated the state of repair of their tyres, the proportion of such assessments was much lower in 2010. A vast majority of the drivers indicated that the current mandatory time limit for winter tyres (from 1st December to the end of February) and the current maximum time limit for studded tyres (from 1st November to the Monday after Easter) is appropriate (79% and 89%, respectively). Almost all others felt that these time limits should be extended. The main conclusion of the study is that the condition of winter tyres has substantially improved since 2001. However, still too many vehicles are equipped with one or more tolerable tyre(s) in terms of tread pattern depth. In addition, the tyres in vehicles driven by young drivers are most frequently inadequate. These aspects should be addressed in information campaigns directed at drivers and vehicle owners. This report may be found at http://www.vtt.fi/inf/pdf/tiedotteet/2010/T2554.pdf

Language

  • Finnish

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01334377
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Finnish Transport Agency
  • ISBN: 978-951-38-7657-9
  • Files: ITRD
  • Created Date: Mar 28 2011 2:38PM