The automotive federation Traxio called on Friday for Belgian motorists to schedule an appointment and get their winter tyres replaced with summer ones, as soon as possible.
Traxio's spokesperson Filip Rylant explained that driving on winter tyres in sunnier seasons is not illegal but "produces a negative effect on the car’s driving behaviour and road safety."
Traxio went on to explain that driving on winter tyres when the temperature is above 7°C increases braking distance and decreases road holding. The federation referenced the findings of a German study by ADAC, which showed how a vehicle's braking distance increases by 5 metres with winter tyres on dry ground and by 3.4 metres on wet ground.
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The federation also argued that replacing tires by season is also economically advantageous to motorists as winter tyres wear out faster in summer and cause higher fuel consumption when the temperature is above 7°C.
Moreover, Rylant explained that motorists should use the season switch as an opportunity to get the condition and pressure of their tyres checked, especially as “worn or damaged tyres and the wrong tyre pressure can lead to road accidents.”
