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  4. Snow Tire & Chain Requirements

Snow Tire & Chain Requirements

Utah Administrative Rule R920-6

Utah weather changes rapidly and in order to keep the roads safe for all motorists the following rules have been enacted.

  • Locations are designated by the Department of Transportation’s Region Director after coordinating with the local Utah Highway Patrol office. The designations by the Region Director are established through a Traffic Engineering Order (TEO) from the Division of Traffic and Safety to the Region Director’s office where the designated highway is located.
  • The Utah Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic and Safety maintains and annually publishes a listing of the designation highways for distribution to:
    • Utah Department of Transportation Region Offices;
    • Utah Highway Patrol;
    • county offices; and
    • local law enforcement officials.
  • “Traction Devices” are devices that improve traction of tires on icy or snowy roads by placing high friction objects between the tires and the road. Examples include tire chains, sand distribution devices, tire studs and other devices similar in function.”Traction Device Equipped” describes a vehicle equipped as follows:
    • (a)  Any size vehicle with traction devices on all drive tires. An exception is allowed in the case of dual tires, where traction devices are required for at least one of the two tires in the dual mounting.
    • (b)  As an alternative to R920-6-3(4)(a), a vehicle less than 12000 GVW equipped with Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) snow tires on all wheels will be considered traction device equipped.
  • “Four wheel drive” for the purposes of this rule consists of four-wheel and all-wheel drive autos and light trucks with mounted M+S (all-season) or 3 peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) snow tires on all wheels.
  • When road surface conditions warrant, as determined by UDOT, UHP or designated local law enforcement agency, no vehicle will be allowed or permitted the use of the highway unless:
    • (a)  For Class I Traction Segments, vehicles over 12,000 GVW shall be traction device equipped, and
    • (b)  for Class II Traction Segments, all vehicles shall be traction device equipped or four-wheel drive as defined in this rule.

CHAIN UP MAPS AND INSTRUCTIONS