Winter or all-season tyres: what to choose in Lithuania

What the rubber says, not the tread

Summer tyre rubber hardens at low temperatures and loses grip even on dry asphalt. Winter rubber stays elastic in the cold, but in summer it wears too fast and lengthens the braking distance.

Seven degrees Celsius is the threshold at which most manufacturers recommend changing. In Lithuania that temperature settles in around November and lasts until April — about five months a year.

What the rules say

In Lithuania winter tyres are mandatory from 10 November to 1 April. All-season tyres with the appropriate marking meet this requirement, so formally they are a legal choice for the whole year.

Look for the mountain with a snowflake on the sidewall — a marking that means tested performance in snow. The mud and snow letters alone are a weaker sign and guarantee nothing by themselves.

• Mountain with a snowflake — certified winter performance
• M+S only — the manufacturer's claim without a mandatory test
• Mandatory period — from 10 November to 1 April

Who all-season tyres suit

An all-season tyre is a deliberate compromise: worse than a winter tyre in snow and worse than a summer tyre on hot asphalt, but good enough in both cases if conditions are not extreme.

It works well for a city driver who covers up to fifteen thousand kilometres a year on cleared streets. For those who drive a lot on motorways or live where roads are not cleared in winter, two separate sets remain the safer solution.

Size, indices and production date

You will find the size, load and speed indices in the car's documents or on the driver's door pillar. A lower load index than the manufacturer specifies is a mistake that cannot be compensated with pressure.

The sidewall also carries a four-digit code for the week and year of production. A tyre ages even when not in use, so a new but five-year-old tyre is no longer entirely new — worth checking before you buy.