What are traction laws and how are they useful in the snow?

FILE: Watch: Treacherous driving conditions reported successful Colorado

A video shared from Summit County successful Colorado showed however treacherous the driving conditions were arsenic snowfall fell crossed the portion connected Tuesday. A almighty coast-to-coast tempest is dumping snowfall successful the West and is expected to pb to question troubles crossed the eastbound U.S. connected Thanksgiving. 

Traction laws assistance amended roadworthy safety, but what are they, and however are they utile during wintertime storms?

A fewer states person them, and determination tin beryllium antithetic requirements for vehicles, including carrying chains, utilizing snowfall tires oregon different traction devices.

Driving successful severe weather tin beryllium highly dangerous, putting not lone drivers and passengers astatine risk, but pedestrians, too.

Conditions similar heavy snow, torrential rain, crystal and strong winds tin trim visibility and control, sometimes starring to superior oregon adjacent fatal accidents.

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Colorado, Utah and parts of California have traction laws, and they're usually successful effect during wintertime oregon successful terrible snowfall and crystal conditions.

The requirements alteration by authorities and location, and whitethorn see carrying chains, utilizing snowfall tires oregon different traction devices connected definite roads to support conveyance stableness and amended safety.

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These requirements assistance successful everything from improved braking, reduced skidding, preventing crashes and wide information connected the road.

Colorado

The Colorado General Assembly passed a bill called the "Tire Chain Traction Control Device Permit" successful 2025 that requires a licence programme for installing and removing tyre chains oregon alternate traction devices.

Colorado’s Traction Law is successful effect from Sept. 1 done May 31 connected the I-70 Mountain Corridor betwixt Dotsero and Morrison, but tin beryllium activated connected different authorities highways erstwhile unsafe conditions necessitate it.

The instrumentality helps support drivers harmless connected the roadworthy without having to afloat unopen down a highway. A one-hour road closure tin outgo hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

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Not abiding by these requirements volition effect successful a $50 fine, on with a $17 surcharge. But fines could beryllium higher depending connected the circumstances, according to Bowman Law Injury Attorneys.

An illustration of a higher good could beryllium if a conveyance blocks the roadworthy owed to improper equipment, the attorney's bureau said.

UDOT motion indicating the traction instrumentality successful effect for Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons connected Jan. 5.

(Utah Department of Transportation Cottonwood Canyons / FOX Weather)

Utah

Utah is different authorities that enforces traction laws. Under Administration Rule R920-6, the instrumentality goes into effect whenever roadworthy conditions warrant, arsenic determined by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and instrumentality enforcement.

The proscription section said traction devices indispensable beryllium utilized during terrible upwind conditions connected roads passim Utah, including Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.

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Updated legislation, House Bill 196, allows UDOT to enforce traction requirements up to 24 hours earlier a large tempest begins. The authorities besides adds a caller Class Three designation which allows for stricter enforcement during large storms, and requires vehicles successful the Cottonwood Canyons to person astatine slightest 5/32-inch tyre tread.

Anyone who fails to comply tin beryllium cited by instrumentality enforcement.

California

When upwind conditions warrant it, California besides enforces traction laws, chiefly successful the mountainous and higher elevation regions.

According to Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, "You indispensable halt and enactment connected chains erstwhile road signs bespeak chains are required. You volition usually person astir a mile betwixt 'Chains Required' signs and the checkpoint to instal your chains."

The rules alteration by roadworthy signs for concatenation request levels. You tin besides beryllium cited and fined by California road patrol if you don't abide by the law.

Fines commencement astatine $25, but aft mandatory tribunal fees and assessments, the full tin beryllium importantly higher depending connected the usurpation and section enforcement.

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So however bash these states enforce the law? Roadside checks and inspections are carried retired passim these states erstwhile the traction instrumentality is enforced.

Be definite to cheque your state's proscription tract for each requirements earlier driving successful severe wintertime conditions.