A bill that would have required Alaska residents to use winter snow tires has received a stormy reception in the Far North. http://www.tirebusiness.com/subscriber/headlines2.phtml?cat=1204552929&headline=Alaska+legislator+seeks+support+for+bill+mandating+winter+tire+use&id=1267799240#
The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Harris, R-Valdez, had one hearing before the Transportation Committee of the Alaska House of Representatives Feb. 19.
But Valdez has postponed a second hearing that had been set for Feb. 25 on the bill, which has drawn phones calls, FAXs and letters to the editor from its opponents. Harris is trying to rally support for the legislation.
The bill mandates that Alaska drivers either have studded tires or those with a mountain-snowflake symbol between Dec. 15 and March 15, starting Dec. 15, 2011.
During the first hearing, one presentation said that about 90 percent of Alaska residents use all-weather or summer tires in the winter, even though studded tires cause a 10 percent decrease in winter road accidents. In 2007 some 6,600 auto accidents, or 63 percent of the accidents in Alaska that year, took place in the winter.
ICE_1q2w says:
It’s a fact here in Alaska especially where I live. Studded tires save lives during the winter season. The same reason we have daylight savings time in Alaska is the same reason why we have a studded tire law in Alaska. It’s BS! They use it to generate revenue from people who get pulled over with studded tires for what? It isn’t so we can have better roads. The roads are hell in Alaska. Ask anyone who’s either lives or lived in Alaska. Why would a state mandate that you take off your studded tires when it still snows in May sometimes?
I’m not sure about mandating to put them only to have to take them off.
Crazy arse Alaskans can’t drive on the ice because they’re all from TX, FL and CA.
6th March 2010 at 5:36 pm