Nokian voices support for Swedish winter tyre rule

Sweden’s government has decided that from the start of 2013, trucks operating within the country must have tyres with at least 5 mm pattern depth and winter tyres on their drive axles between 1 December and 31 March, whenever winter conditions occur. This new requirement has been applauded by Nokian Tyres, which says it “can be expected to substantially increase road safety during the winter season.”

The law, the Finnish tyre maker comments, has its background in the “unfortunate statistics from previous winters concerning traffic accidents where trucks with worn out tyres were involved.” Nokian refers to a study performed by the Swedish Transport Agency, which showed 45 per cent of foreign truck and trailer combinations involved in run-off-road collisions had poor pattern depth in their drive axle tyres. It also says that, in addition to accidents, many trucks with poor tyres “have caused severe traffic delays by running off the road or getting stuck on slippery uphill routes.”

 “This is a very important and respectable decision from the Swedish Government; they are taking the initiative in ensuring road safety and fluent transport,” stated Pontus Stenberg, vice-president, Truck Tyres at Nokian Tyres. “It is essential that all transport companies driving in Sweden notice this new requirement, regardless the country of origin. Winter conditions can be extremely severe in Nordic countries and it is essential that proper tyres in all axles are used.”