From December 1 to 5, the republican preventive campaign "Winter is a Test for Drivers!" is taking place.

Operating a vehicle in winter is much more challenging than in summer. The equipment has to work in adverse, and sometimes extreme, conditions. To ensure the vehicle copes better with the winter period, maintains confident stability on the road, and does not cause trouble for the driver, one important action should be taken – timely tire replacement. Remember that when participating in road traffic from December 1 to March 1, vehicles must be equipped with winter tires on all wheels, with identical tread patterns on the same axle.

— On September 1, 2025, the traffic rules were amended. One of its points concerned the use of winter tires on passenger cars, — emphasizes Vadim Sedin, Senior State Traffic Inspector of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Lepel District Executive Committee. – According to the new rules, during operation, winter tires must have a residual tread depth of at least 4 mm. Only tires with two markings simultaneously are now considered winter tires: a mountain peak symbol with three peaks and a snowflake inside, as well as one of the M+S, M&S, or MS symbols. Although snow has not yet fallen, nighttime temperatures reach sub-zero levels, which can cause slippery roads during the day.

After talking with employees of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Lepel District Executive Committee, we found out that, as practice shows, drivers have begun to take traffic rules more seriously. It is increasingly rare to encounter a driver with summer tires in winter. Participation in road traffic on summer or worn-out tires in winter entails liability. This includes a warning or a fine of up to 1 base unit, and for a repeated offense within a year – from 2 to 5 base units. If worn-out or summer tires lead to the creation of an emergency situation or an accident, the fine is significantly higher, with the possible deprivation of the driver's license. More and more road users prefer tires from a Belarusian manufacturer that comply with all norms and requirements. As the check showed, our drivers are indeed preparing for the calendar winter in advance.