The traffic police law on the abolition of the Ш sign - is it true?
He really is. The new law was developed back in the summer of 2018 and submitted to the State Duma for consideration in order to change the traffic rules in terms of excluding the Spikes sign from the list of those required for mounting on car windows.
The need for the sign was stated in a specially created annex to the traffic rules, which regulates the rules for allowing cars to drive on public roads. It lists the mandatory identification plates for cars, among which our notorious sign was the third paragraph:
8. The following identification marks must be installed on vehicles:
- ….
- “Spikes” - in the form of an equilateral triangle of white color with the top up with a red border, into which the letter “Ш” is inscribed in black (the side of the triangle is at least 200 mm, the width of the border is 1/10 of the side) - on the back of motor vehicles with studded tires tires;
But the corresponding draft resolution proposed introducing changes to this paragraph regarding the exclusion of just 3 paragraphs:
2. In paragraph 8 of the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety: paragraph three should be deleted.
View the full text of the official draft resolution.
The truth is that this law, abolishing the Ship sign, was adopted by the Duma as of May 23, 2021 and entered into legal force. As of December 8, 2021, the obligatory sign has been abolished, and there is no obligation to affix it to the back of the car according to the Rules. Read the article about changes to traffic rules on December 8.
Update from November 30, 2021 (outdated): on November 29, news appeared on the Internet that Medvedev abolished the obligatory sign. The corresponding resolution was indeed issued by the Russian government, but it has not been adopted and has not entered into legal force. To enter into force, a change in the traffic rules must be officially published on the legal information portal, which has not yet happened as of May 23, 2021.
Update November 5, 2021 (outdated): The government has promised soon without specifying how soon this will happen. The Duma emphasized that the innovation had previously been postponed due to more extensive changes to the traffic rules, which will be introduced by everyone at once.
No further legal acts on the abolition have been issued so far: no new laws, no official orders, decrees, resolutions and other documents.
Fine for not having a “Spikes” sign
From April 4, 2021 to December 8, 2021, traffic police officers could impose a fine for the absence of the “Spikes” sign under Part 1 of Article 12.5 of the Administrative Code:
1. Driving a vehicle in the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which, in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the duties of officials to ensure road safety, operation of the vehicle is prohibited, with the exception of malfunctions and conditions specified in parts 2 - 7 of this article, -
entails a warning or the imposition of an administrative fine in the amount of five hundred rubles.
Please note that this article deals with the presence of malfunctions or conditions under which the operation of vehicles is prohibited. Paragraph 8, which referred to the installation of the “Spikes” sign until 2021, refers to such faults.
Therefore, the punishment for the absence of the “Spikes” sign was a warning or a fine of 500 rubles .
Important note!
- This article provides basic information, but each case is different.
- In 92% of all situations there are important nuances that can affect the outcome of the entire case.
- An experienced lawyer will study all the materials of the case and indicate in which direction to move.
Therefore, our website employs on-duty legal consultants who delve into each case and are aimed at solving it.
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What is the corresponding sign for?
The main purpose of requiring a sticker with the letter “Ш” on the rear window of a car is to create safe conditions on the road. This symbol was needed for a car that used studded winter tires. Small crushed stone can fly out from under the wheels of such vehicles, which can harm vehicles moving behind. There are known cases where drivers were injured for this reason and created the risk of serious accidents.
Motorists wondering whether it is possible to drive in winter on winter tires without studs usually have difficulties. Such tires do not pose the threat of accidental flying of crushed stone from under the wheel. However, an appropriate sign was still needed, as it helped prevent collisions between cars traveling at different speeds.
What responsibilities were provided before?
In 2021, the rules for replacing winter and summer tires have changed. If a traffic police inspector discovered that the wheels had treads with spikes, but there was no sticker that would notify other road users about this, the violator would face administrative liability. The punishment included a fine for winter tires, the amount of which reached 500 rubles.
Drivers were also penalized for using tires that were not appropriate for the season. This violation created dangerous conditions both for the vehicle owner and for other vehicles. Citizens who drive an SUV without a designated sign are more likely to be found guilty of an accident.
There were a number of requirements for the “spike” stickers:
- The sign must comply with GOST standards;
- A triangular sticker with a base of at least 20 cm;
- The frame of the sign is bright red, inside of which there is a large letter Ш on a white background.
At the same time, the traffic rules did not indicate the place where the symbol should be located. However, all drivers were recommended to glue it to the rear window. Thanks to this, the sign was visible from afar to everyone driving behind. In turn, this reduced the risk of emergency situations and other negative phenomena.
Carrying the sticker was allowed in any season. However, it was recommended to use it only when using winter tires. The use of off-season tires and summer tires did not oblige the driver to install a sign.
Accepted innovations
The decree obliging people to pay a fine for a thorn sign in 2019 has been cancelled. Previously, the use of a sticker was mandatory, and its absence was equated to an administrative violation. Monetary punishment was provided for in Art. 12.5 Code of Administrative Offences. As of December 8, 2018, the spike sign was removed from the list of traffic rules. Therefore, they can no longer force the driver to pay a fine.
Do you need a sticker in 2019?
After the resolution is repealed, the use of the sign is considered optional. The driver can drive further with the letter on the rear window, but there is no direct need for this. If a fine for a spike sign was in effect from April 5, 2017, then this year the vehicle owner does not have the right to be forced to pay for anything due to the lack of a sign.
After the adoption of the innovations, many began to wonder whether it is possible to drive on winter tires without studs in the summer. Obviously, bald tires do not pose any threat. This type of driving does not result in negative consequences and no warning signs are required.
It is important to know! Despite the fact that the requirement to carry the “Ш” sign has been cancelled, for safety reasons traffic police officers recommend not removing it. The use of this symbol reduces the likelihood of accidents caused by driver inattention and various unfavorable circumstances. When they see a sticker, motorists tend to keep their distance, which in turn reduces the risk of a collision.
Is the Thorn sign needed in 2021?
We conclude that the “Ш” sign, as of May 23, 2021, has been cancelled, it does not need to be glued to the rear window of the car, and there will be no fine for its absence.
This is also evidenced by the official interpretation of the current traffic rules - the above text of the Rules has changed to this day, and the mandatory Thorns sign is excluded from it:
- here is the official interpretation of paragraph 8 with the obligatory Thorns sign on the Consultant Plus website,
- Here are the same traffic rules on the Garant website.
There is no text of the Rules on the official website of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, otherwise they would have provided a link to it.
But we have even more “proofs”! The fact is that changes to the Rules (and the need for the Spikes sign is spelled out, as you understand, in the traffic rules) are made by relevant decrees of the government of the Russian Federation. Such changes have been adopted and published on the official portal for the publication of regulatory acts.
Thus, as of May 23, 2021, the Thorns sign has been cancelled.
In what cases was it not needed before?
There were a small number of exceptions when it was not necessary to install the “Ш” sign on the car:
- when your car has summer tires - from the most obvious,
- when the car is equipped with “Velcro” tires without studs,
- when literally all the thorns have fallen out (and not a single one remains - if at least one remains, even the most worn and sunk, as a result, deep into the depths, then the Thorn sign already becomes necessary).
Where should I install it?
Before the changes, official traffic rules clearly stated only that the sign must be pasted or otherwise installed at the rear. Is it possible to attach it where it will not be visible? According to the letter of the law, it is possible. In practice, there is no legislation for 2021, because anyway the traffic police officer would have fined you, and the court would have supported the inspector if you appealed the fine. Alas, it would hardly have been possible to cheat!
By the way, both the first and the very last instance will make absolutely no difference if you try to tilt your arguments towards the absurdity of the Spikes sign in the realities of 2021, when not only spikes determine the length of the braking distance. It was spelled out in the law - which means the sign is required!
Thus, it is better to install the sign on the rear window so that it is visible.
From what moment is it allowed to drive a car without a “Spikes” sign?
Starting in the fall of 2021, the traffic police department announced that there will no longer be a fine for driving a car without the “Spikes” sign.
This was done because a law abolishing his mandatory presence was already before the Government. However, until the bill comes into force, it is mandatory to comply with previous government orders.
The official date of permission for the movement of cars without the “Spikes” sign is November 24, 2018. It was on this day that the corresponding bill was adopted, which Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed and approved.
At the same time, on the official website of the traffic police the date is slightly different – 12/8/2018. To determine what date you can remove the sign with a clear conscience, it is enough to delve into the text of the official message on the website. It explains that the validity period of the Federal Law begins with an extension of 2 weeks.
What's the fine?
So, today there is no fine, since the Spikes sign has been canceled according to the Traffic Rules.
For violation of any paragraph from the above traffic rules appendix, a fine of 500 rubles is imposed or a warning is issued under part 1 of article 12.5 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. This provision provides for such a sanction for any violation of the provisions.
The fine for the Spikes sign could be paid at half the cost in the first 20 days after the fine was imposed (Article 32.2 of the Administrative Code). No other measures to ensure additional penalties, in addition to the main fine, for the absence of the “Ш” sign were provided for 2021. And you wouldn’t even be at fault for the accident if you didn’t have a sign installed, and another car drove into you from behind, without keeping a distance.
But the traffic police promised not to fine
Meanwhile, the traffic police commented, albeit unofficially, that there would be no fines in the winter of 2021 for the absence of the Spikes sign even before it was cancelled.
With this statement, road safety law enforcement allegedly refers to the above-mentioned draft law - while it was under consideration, and until it was adopted, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was not going to fine drivers for the absence of this sign.
If you are still subject to a fine, please leave a corresponding comment below.
How to make the “Spikes” sign yourself
Just a year ago, these signs were in stacks in spare parts stores and were not in particular demand among customers. However, as soon as amendments were made to the legislation providing for a fine for its absence, and traffic police inspectors began issuing orders, the stickers instantly disappeared. In some regions of the Russian Federation, a kind of “deficit” even arose. Considering the rush demand for the “Spikes” sign, many sellers have raised prices from 15 to 150 rubles, and some up to 500 rubles for one sticker!
But the whole secret is that you can make the “Spikes” sign yourself without spending a penny. For this we need an A4 sheet, scissors, adhesive tape and a color printer. If the printer is black and white, then you will additionally need a red marker or felt-tip pen.
Sign dimensions
The “Spikes” sign, according to the “Basic provisions for the admission of vehicles,” is an equilateral triangle of white color with the apex up with a red border, in which the letter “Ш” is inscribed in black.
In this case, the side of the triangle must be at least 200 mm , and the width of the border is equal to 1/10 of the side.
Thus, with a minimum acceptable size of 20 cm, our sign easily fits into a standard A4 sheet of paper. The width of the red border will be 2 cm.
Manufacturing instructions
- Download the template for color or black and white printing - depending on your printer;
- If you have a black and white version, paint over the border with a red marker or felt-tip pen;
- Cut out the sign with scissors;
- Carefully apply adhesive tape to the rear window of the car. Naturally, it is better to do this from the inside. If the window is tinted, you can glue it on the outside, covering the entire sign with tape to protect it from moisture;
- We enjoy the result!
Sign "Ш" according to GOST
The requirements for the Thorns sign relate only to the color, shape of the triangle and its size:
- the triangle must be equilateral,
- inside it is the letter “SH”,
- it must be installed on the glass with the top up,
- the background is white, the letter “Ш” is black, and the border is red,
- border thickness - 1/10 of the length of the side of the triangle,
- side length – from 20 cm.
Below you can download the Spikes sign that meets these requirements (there is no separate GOST for this sign):
(print out the Thorns sign and cut it into a triangle shape)- source file with layers for editing, if the finished one does not suit you in any way.
When and how to use the sign with the letter “Ш”
The studded tire sign is triangular in shape with a red border. In the center of the sign is the letter “Ш” in black on a white background . Any side of the sticker has a length of at least 20 cm. The outline of the border is taken in a ratio of 1/10 of the prescribed size of the attribute.
The sign must be affixed if the vehicle has studded tires . The sticker costs around 100 rubles. As soon as a car driver has changed his summer tires to a winter version with studs, he is recommended to stick a sign on the rear window of his vehicle.
In the spring, when there is no longer a need for studded tires, they are changed again to summer tires and the sticker can be removed. This attribute allows you not only to warn other car drivers about studded tires.
Often such a sign can come in handy when an accident occurs and prove your innocence . This little thing forces many motorists to be more careful and disciplined on the roads.
Is the "Spikes" sign necessary or not?
Good news for those who are not in the know: at the end of 2021, some amendments were made to the current traffic rules. One of them concerned this sign. So, according to the changes, drivers are completely freed from the need to install such a sticker.
If anyone is interested, such a norm was previously prescribed in clause 8 of the Appendices to the Traffic Regulations. And until the end of 2021, this norm is quite relevant. Now, at the time of writing, February 2021, the “Spikes” sticker may not be available on a car that has tires with spikes.
