Claire Bailly 09:00, December 06, 2022

Since November 1, 2022, the Mountain Law has come into force.

It involves equipping your car with special equipment required in identified areas, often mountainous.

A real road safety issue.

>> This article is sponsored by Norauto

Winter tyres, all-season tires or chains?

The aim of the Mountain Law is to reinforce safety on French roads, and Norauto is a partner in the daily life of motorists.

In a Social Room on the social networks of Europe 1, Stephan Costa, tire market manager at Norauto and Henrique Esteves, director of the Norauto center in Fâches Thumesnil detailed the challenges of this law and shared their advice for driving serenely this winter.

The Mountain Law: get informed to equip yourself accordingly

From November 1 to March 31, motorists residing or driving in certain areas of France must be equipped with one of the following devices: winter tires, all-season tires or chains or socks.

The Mountain Law applies in thirty-four departments including certain massifs of the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, the Alps, Corsica or the Jura.

Cars, trucks, motorhomes, buses and heavy goods vehicles are concerned.

This law responds above all to a road safety issue.

As France is very hilly, the objective is to allow all motorists to drive safely.

To equip yourself, three possibilities:

- Winter tires, which work well when it's less than seven degrees

- All-season tires, a versatile solution for the whole year

- Chains or socks, to keep in your trunk and to use occasionally

To each motorist his solution

To choose the right equipment, several parameters must be taken into account.

Thus, a motorist who drives little, lives in a temperate zone and does not go to the mountains can keep his summer tires all year round.

All-season tires will suit someone who drives a lot and regularly goes to cold areas.

A person living in a ski resort will have to have winter tires and change to summer tires.

The best thing is to seek advice from an automotive professional.

Finally, chains and socks correspond more to occasional use.

In order to avoid buying them, Norauto offers to rent them.

A road safety issue

Last year, a study by the tire union indicated that 75% of French people were aware of the Mountain Law.

Although 90% of them think that winter conditions have no impact on their driving, 80% believe that the law will reduce accidents.

From January 1, motorists who do not respect it may be fined 135 euros.

At the same time, Norauto experts encourage you to adopt good habits: check or have your bulbs, fog lights, tire pressure checked, etc. without forgetting the battery, because the cold can be fatal for an already tired battery.

In short, anticipating risks to approach winter serenely.

Find all the information on the Mountain Law here and the entire tire union study here.