Reduce street dust by choosing friction tires as your winter tires

HSY and the cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area are campaigning for the use of friction tires to reduce street dust. Friction tires produce less dust than studded tires and help reduce noise. The campaign encourages drivers to switch to more environmentally friendly tires, aiming to increase the share of friction tires. You can participate in the friction tire quiz until October 26, 2025.

Driving with studded tires generates a lot of street dust

Street dust is a significant air quality issue in cities. Dusty days are most common during the spring street dust season, but they also occur during the winter tire season when road surfaces are dry. Studded tires scrape the asphalt surface aggressively and cause a large portion of street dust.

Studded tires are the main cause of street dust in urban areas. In other words, friction tires produce significantly less street dust than studded tires, says our air quality expert Nelli Kaski.

Six good reasons to choose friction tires

If you drive, it’s worth choosing friction tires for winter. Nelli gives six reasons why friction tires are a good choice for city dwellers:

• Better air quality. Friction tires produce significantly less street dust than studded tires.
  
  
• Fewer dust-related symptoms. The more people drive with friction tires, the less dust there is in the air we breathe, and the fewer symptoms we experience.
  
  
• Less tire noise. Driving with friction tires generates less noise both outside and inside the car compared to studded tires.
  
  
• Flexibility. Friction tires offer flexibility in timing tire changes in autumn and spring.
  
  
• Better road conditions. Friction tires wear down road surfaces less than studded tires.
  
  
• Safe driving depends on behavior, not tire type. In terms of road safety, the driver's proactive driving style and tyre condition are more important than the tyre type.

Take the quiz and win friction tires

Answer the friction tire quiz and you could win a set of friction tires. Three prizes will be drawn among those who answer correctly. Each winner can choose a €500 gift card for purchasing friction tires or €500 worth of HSL travel tickets. Winners will be notified personally.

You can participate in the friction tire quiz until October 26, 2025, on the campaign website: hel.fi/kitkat

Goal: More people choose friction tires

The cities in the Helsinki metropolitan area aim to increase the share of friction tires in urban traffic. For example, Helsinki’s goal is to raise the share to 70% by the winter season 2030–2031. Currently, about 40% of winter traffic in Helsinki uses friction tires. In Vantaa, around 30% of residents chose friction tires last winter.

People particularly sensitive to the health effects of street dust include asthmatics, small children, the elderly, and those with respiratory or heart conditions. Street dust can worsen symptoms in people with heart and lung diseases. It also causes irritation symptoms in healthy individuals, such as runny nose, coughing, and itching in the eyes and throat.

The joint campaign by HSY and the cities of the Helsinki metropolitan area is visible and audible through digital city screens, roadside advertisements, social media, and radio.

More information:

• Campaign website and friction tire quiz: hel.fi/kitkat