Why did people in snowy areas quit using snow tires and chains on tires for snowy roads?

[raccoon]

Someone on the Internet told me that they didn't use those any more. If I'm wrong, correct me.

[Ocelot II]

1. They cause a lot of damage to roads so they're illegal in most places.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. All season radials, the cost of swapping

Need an extra set of rims or mount and balance. I think in some states chains are illegal.

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Chains and studded tires were outlawed a while ago

because they tore up the roads. Newer snow tires with heavy tread are very effective in most cases.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

5. interesting. I didn't know that. I recall people struggling to put on snow chains. .. I guess that was 35 years ago

[Jim__]

4. Front wheel drive, four wheel drive help avoid spinning your wheels.

[tavernier]

6. Because trucks are as big as Sherman tanks these days

And just about every macho man has one.

[waterwatcher123]

7. Quite a few people here (Duluth, MN) use snow tires.

There are lots of AWD and 4WD vehicles here too. The UP of Michigan and northern Wisconsin are similar.

Bye-the-way, it is minus 15 here at 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon. It will likely be minus 30 to 35 tomorrow in the early morning.

[Gaugamela]

8. There's plenty of snow tires around here. Chains are only used under the worst

conditions, usually going over mountain passes.

It does seem like the use of studded tires has decreased. Climate change might be a factor. We haven’t had a heavy snowfall in about 7 or 8 years. It may also be that fewer people can afford them these days.

[senseandsensibility]

10. Yes, I remember chains being required when we would travel to Lake Tahoe

from the never snowy San Francisco area. As we drove up the mountains you would see signs saying Chains required and there would be businesses set up to put them on for you. Haven't traveled there in the winter recently so maybe that's not true anymore?

[Gaugamela]

11. I expect it is. Now that you mention it, it is required that you carry chains over the

mountains here in Central Oregon. Lake Tahoe can get a crazy amount of snow, but then haven’t been up there in about 25 years.

[Kaleva]

18. Studded tires are illegal in Michigan

They did too much damage to the roads

[JT45242]

9. Became illegal because of cost of road repairs

In ohio, studded tires were banned when I was a teenager.

Justification was the wear and tear on the concrete on days with no snow or ice.

[Xavier Breath]

12. I was going to say, I've been driving 40+ years and never have I driven on snow tires.

I've heard people discuss them many times, but I don't know that I ever saw them in person. Besides, if you take your time, keep your distance and don't make any sudden moves, all-season tires will be just fine. I've never had more than the odd slip here and there over the years.

[JT45242]

14. Tires in late 70s and 80s were not as good as today's all season tires

The improved engineering of tires and car safety with antilock brakes and other improvements does make a huge difference.

[Liberal In Texas]

16. Exactly. Today's tires in the snow are better than the old snow tires of the 60s and 70s.

I remember in the 60s having snow tires with studs in them. I'm sure they were pretty hard on the streets.

[hlthe2b]

13. 4-WD with snow-rated radials are an acceptable alternative--even on I-70 when chain law is invoked

For 2-WD, you used to be able to have adequate tread and preferably snow-rated radials, but now have to have chains as well.

I have driven my Prius with the Swedish snow-rated Nokian tires for years in heavy snow on I-70 through the mountains, but always with a set of appropriate chains in the car and always watch the video to remind myself how to put them on. But, I likewise pray to the snow "gods" that I don't have to put them on. In dry weather, that's one thing. At the side of a snow-covered highway with 20-30mph winds, umm, no.

My parents always put on snow tires on their rear wheel drive pretty heavy cars, but I think I only did once on a compact car I drove in Virginia during the winter time across the state.

[doc03]

15. The tires today are much better, most cars are

either front wheel or all wheel Drive. The roads are much better maintained than in the past. I am not sure chains are even legal in Ohio. I notice the school busses in WV have automatic chains but they still close the schools at the slightest snowfall. I checked chains are legal in Ohio but I haven't seen anyone using them in years in this area. We rarely get the lake effect snow here though.

[jmowreader]

17. Link chains damage roads and radial tires

They also damage the car they're on if they're not on exactly right. Cable chains are safer.

[Jersey Devil]

19. I think it's because almost all cars are front wheel drive.

Way back when I started driving, back in the 60s, cars all had rear wheel drive and it was almost impossible to drive on snow or ice without chains or studded snow tires. When cars switched to front wheel drive it was so much easier to drive on ice and snow and snow tires no longer were needed in most cases.

[Captain Zero]

21. Yes. Weight of the engine is over the drive wheels.

Unless you have an old fashioned truck with rear wheel drive and no weight in the bed.

[Straw Man]

20. I haven't seen studded tires in years.

And in my recollection, chains were only for really severe conditions, like unpaved roads in the mountains. IMO, chains are only one step away from tracked vehicles.

As others have said, modern snow tires on a vehicle with front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive can cope with just about anything.

[flvegan]

22. What makes us think they did?

Granted, chains are frowned upon in a lot of places. Are we thinking that because folks aren't blathering on endlessly about the plight of the snow-tired on social media means they aren't being used? Maybe stop listening to "someone on the internet" about stuff.

Context is funny. Necessary, but funny.

[vanamonde]

23. Chains or traction devices can be required for all

Last edited Fri Jan 23, 2026, 12:11 PM - Edit history (1)

during a heavy snowstorm on I80 between Reno and for many miles westward. California calls it an R3 chain requirement though roads are often simply closed over the passes when it gets that bad.
A more common level is R2 where chains are required except for any vehicle that is 4WD or AWD and has snow tread tires on all four wheels.
Three observations:
1) Use of chains during R2 restrictions is often ignored by drivers that are supposed to be using them.
2) When chain controls are in effect the speed limit is lowered to something like 25 mph. This applies to all vehicles, even if you are not required to use chains (like those people driving a 4WD Dodge Gargantua or Ford Titanic). Often ignored.
3) Over the years I've noticed that as you drive carefully through the storm the most common vehicles one sees stranded off in the snow banks are the 4WD/AWD SUVs. You know, the ones you see bounding through snow at high speeds on the TV commercials.

[Emile]

24. I spent the night in Donner's summit rest area. When I woke up

the next morning and pulled back the curtain, I was buried in snow. The only trucks that were allowed to go down the mountain had to have chains. I was stuck there for hours until they lifted the chain restrictions. People have no idea how much snow can fall overnight on top of Donners Pass.