2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 75 - VEHICLES
Chapter 45 - Other Required Equipment
4525 - Tire equipment and traction surfaces.

     § 4525.  Tire equipment and traction surfaces.
        (a)  General rule.--No vehicle shall be operated on the
     highway unless the vehicle is equipped with tires of a type,
     size and construction approved by the department for the vehicle
     and unless the tires are in a safe operating condition as
     determined in accordance with regulations of the department,
     except that commercial implements of husbandry may be equipped
     with tires marked for nonhighway use.
        (b)  Vehicles not equipped with pneumatic tires.--It is
     unlawful for any person to operate or move, or cause or permit
     to be moved, in contact with any highway any vehicle equipped
     with traction or road contact surfaces other than pneumatic
     tires unless of a type, size and construction permitted by
     regulations of the department and unless the movement is made
     under specific conditions allowed by regulations of the
     department.
        (c)  Ice grips and tire studs.--Tires in which ice grips or
     tire studs of wear resisting material have been installed which
     provide resiliency upon contact with the road and which have
     projections not exceeding two thirty-seconds of an inch beyond
     the tread of the traction surface of the tire shall be permitted
     between November 1 of each year and April 15 of the following
     year. The Governor may by executive order extend the time tires
     with ice grips or tire studs may be used when highway conditions
     are such that such tires would be a safety factor in traveling
     Commonwealth highways. The use of tires with ice grips or tire
     studs contrary to the provisions of this subsection shall be
     unlawful.
        (d)  Tire chains.--Tire chains may be temporarily used on
     vehicles during periods of snow and ice emergency if they are in
     conformance with regulations promulgated by the department.
        (e)  Penalty.--
            (1)  Any person violating the provisions of subsection
        (c) shall be guilty of a summary offense and, upon conviction
        thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine as indicated in
        paragraph (2) and, in default of payment thereof, shall
        undergo imprisonment for not more than 30 days.
            (2)  Fines for violation of subsection (c) relating to
        the period of use of ice grips or tire studs shall be
        determined from the following chart based on the period of
        unauthorized use:
                April 16 to May 31                  $35
                June 1 to June 30                    45
                July 1 to July 31                    55
                August 1 to August 31                55
                September 1 to September 30          55
                October 1 to October 31              55
            (3)  Fines for any other violation of subsection (c)
        shall be determined according to the chart in paragraph (2)
        except that fines for violations occurring between November 1
        to April 15 shall be $10.
     (Nov. 10, 1979, P.L.460, No.95, eff. imd.; July 10, 1984,
     P.L.679, No.146, eff. 60 days; May 20, 1993, P.L.30, No.10, eff.
     60 days)

        1993 Amendment.  Act 10 amended subsec. (a).
        1984 Amendment.  Act 146 amended subsecs. (c) and (e).