Press Release
New winter tire laws in Sweden
Hanover, December 2009. In Sweden, the laws covering the use of winter tires on
heavy trucks have been tightened even further. New regulations will also come into
force for foreign vehicles from this December.
The Swedish government has given local authorities the power to forbid vehicles with spiked
tires from driving on certain roads or sections of roads. At the same time, the government
has abolished the previous exemption clause and informs that Swedish and foreign vehicles
must comply with the winter tire laws upon leaving or entering Sweden. The new regulations
stipulate that foreign cars and light trucks need to be equipped with winter tires with a tread
depth of at least three millimeters in the season from December 1 to March 31 if wintry road
conditions prevail in this period.
Likewise, the regulations for heavy commercial vehicles have changed in Sweden. The
transport authority has set a minimum tread depth of five millimeters for vehicles weighing
over 3,500 kg during the winter season from December 1 to March 31. This regulation also
applies in winter conditions to foreign trucks and buses, but not to trailers.
In cooperation with Finland and Norway, Sweden has also decided to limit the number of
spikes permitted on tires. The new regulation states that no more than fifty spikes may be
fitted per meter of tire rolling circumference. For example, a tire measuring 385/65 R 22.5
has a rolling circumference of 3,250 mm (+/- 2 percent) and may therefore have a maximum
of 162 spikes. Furthermore the period during which spiked tires may be used on Swedish
roads has been shortened by two weeks: They are strictly forbidden between April 16 and
September 30 of each year. The amendments to the laws will come into force on December
1, 2009.
Continental has been selling winter tires for severe wintry weather conditions for many years.
The treads bearing the Scandinavia label are called HSW for the steering axle and HDW for
the drive axle. A matching product for trailers is sold under the name HTW Scandinavia.
They all guarantee maximum function and safety without spikes. Spikes can be added by tire
dealers if necessary, however.
.../2
Your contact person:
Udo Brandes, phone: +49 511 938-2923
-2-
With sales exceeding €24 billion in 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive
suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, powertrain and chassis systems and components, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires, and technical elastomers, the
corporation contributes to enhanced driving safety and global climate protection. Continental is also a
competent partner in networked automobile communication. The corporation currently employs approximately 134,000 at nearly 190 locations in 37 countries.
As one of the largest manufacturers of premium tires for commercial vehicles, Continental carries a
broad range of high-performance products finely tailored to specific application areas for heavy-duty
and light trucks, buses and off-road vehicles. Continental AG produces truck and bus tires under the
Continental, Uniroyal, Semperit and Barum brand names. The ContiBreakdownService, in existence
since 1978, is a quick-response network of authorized dealerships providing additional security in the
case of a flat tire.
Contact for journalists:
Udo Brandes
Head of Press and PR I Division Commercial
Vehicle Tires
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH
Büttnerstrasse 25
D-30165 Hanover
Phone: +49 511 938-2923
Fax: +49 511 938-2496
E-mail: udo.brandes@conti.de
Online media database: www.mediacenter.continental-corporation.com
Your contact person:
Udo Brandes, phone: +49 511 938-2923