With winter just around the corner, the line at your local tire store is about to get longer.
While studded tires are legal to use beginning November 1, the Oregon Department of Transportation is encouraging motorists to either wait until conditions require studs or consider alternatives that may cause less road damage.
According to a 2014 study by ODOT, studded tire use across the state causes about $8.5 million in damage per year to state highways.
The agency points to alternatives such as having a set of chains on-hand, which could be link chains or cable chains depending on your vehicle, and recommend you practice installation before you need them.
The second alternative to studded tires are studless winter traction tires carrying a mountain and snowflake symbol which are rated for use in severe snow conditions but cause no more damage to roads than regular tires.
Using studded tires on public roads before Nov. 1 or after March 31 is a Class C violation and carries a possible fine of nearly $200.
Due to lingering wintry conditions earlier this year, the deadline to remove studded tires was extended last season from the traditional close of March 31 to April 15.
