Winter is coming, and even if it comes with warm El Nino weather conditions, roads will be slippery at times. The Oregon Department of Transportation knows that; it also knows how much damage studded tires do to the state’s roads. It would like you to consider other options.

That’s all well and good, as long as ODOT and the Legislature don’t decide to join forces and simply outlaw studded tires or tax them. Despite the damage they do, studded tires remain a very good option for safe driving in icy conditions.

These days, there are alternatives, particularly if it’s snow, not ice, that is your problem.

Old-fashioned snow tires are a good choice for all but the iciest conditions. They’ve been improved in recent years, and those marked with a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall are not only designed differently than they used to be but use a tread compound that was designed to stay pliable in cold weather.

Another old-fashioned idea, chains, can be combined with all-weather tires if you want to avoid studded tires but know you’ll be faced with driving on ice from time to time. Yes, chains are a hassle to use, but even they have improved over the years. They require slow driving, and you should practice putting them on well before you need them.

As for studded tires, which you may use legally until the end of March 2019, they do damage roads. The Oregon Department of Transportation estimates studs are responsible for about $8.5 million of damage to state highways each year, and in a state that’s had to scramble to find money for highway maintenance, that adds up.

Yet in some parts of the state and in some conditions, studs are still the best thing going.

That’s a strong argument for continuing to allow the use of studs. Lawmakers really should ask themselves if the lives of one or two or 20 Oregonians are a reasonable price to pay for preventing some road damage. We think not.