Studded tires provide extra traction on snowy or icy roads, but Massachusetts restricts use of metal-studded tires on its roads in the spring, summer and fall. Police can ticket drivers for breaking the rule. Even if the state didn't restrict the use of studded tires, drivers should switch to other tires in good weather. All-season tires don't wear as quickly and perform better when roads are clear, according to the "Tire Guide" on the Consumer Reports website.
Massachusetts doesn't allow vehicles with metal-studded tires on public roads between May 1 and Nov. 1. This allows the use of studded tires during the state's snowiest months. From 1971 to 2000, median snowfall records at Logan International Airport in Boston show no more than a trace amount in May or October, according to records kept by NOAA's National Weather Service, and less than an inch in May and October at the Blue Hill Observatory in Milton. Worcester recorded a trace amount as early as September.
The rule on studded tires doesn't apply to authorized drivers of emergency fire vehicles. The state registrar, appointed by the governor to run the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, may authorize other drivers to use studded tires before Nov. 1 due to weather conditions.
The fine for drivers who violate Massachusetts law on studded tires is $50, maximum as of 2010. In addition, under the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicle regulations, non-commercial vehicles will fail their annual safety inspection if the driver goes to an inspection station with studded tires between May 1 and Nov. 1. It's cause for the station to issue a rejection sticker.
