The Importance of Snow Tires
Updated: Feb 12, 2021
Anyone who has been to Colorado knows, there is a lot that makes our state amazing. I distinctly remember my first-time skiing at Copper Mountain when I was five years old. Learning the difference between pizza and French fries, the pride you feel when you don't have to ski on the bunny hills anymore, these are the experiences that make Colorado so great. But there are also dangers we all face as well. One of those dangers is driving on snow.
Last ski season, "The Colorado Department of Transportation recorded 426 crashes involving passenger vehicles. Another 156 vehicles were involved in slide offs or spin outs or had mechanical issues, CDOT data shows." To combat these accidents, Colorado just passed a new law that will require all two-wheel vehicles to comply with traction laws on I-70.
This new law signed by Governor Polis puts mandatory traction laws in effect on a 127-mile stretch of I-70 all the way from September 1st through May 31st. Not only that, but the requirements for snow tires has changed as well. It used to be that adequate tread was 1/8 of an inch. Now it has gone up to 3/16 of an inch." These new laws will be enforced by the Colorado State Patrol. If you don’t have adequate tread or adequate traction, you will be faced with a $132 fine. However, that isn’t the end of it. If you are responsible for causing an accident because you didn’t have adequate tread or traction, you will be fined $656. This is a major change from previous regulations, because every vehicle traveling on state highways must comply with these laws. While the bill specifies the I-70 mountain corridor between Genesee and Dotsero, this does not limit the applicability of the law to this corridor.
Why does this matter to you? Well aside from avoiding a pesky fine, snow tires are much safer than both regular tires, and all-season tires. For starters, you will be protecting yourself and your family in the car with you. But putting snow tires on your car also means that you will be doing your part in helping keep Colorado, and the ski resorts we all know and love, safe and open for business.
Sign up here to stay up-to date with all of our posts!
Citations
https://www.denverpost.com/2019/04/24/i-70-colorado-winter-driving-traction/