Can You Drive With Studded Tires in Illinois?

The weather is currently frightful and driving around in this stuff is the opposite of delightful.

So what about using studded tires when it comes to going from place to place in Illinois?

If you don't know what a studded tire is, let Tires Les Schwab teach you:

Studs are lightweight, small metal spikes (studs) that are staggered and inserted across the tread of a winter tire. These studs protrude slightly from the rubber tread surface, helping break through packed snow and ice-covered roads to give you better traction. Note: Extra tread depth is needed to accommodate studs, so studded tire size options are often limited.

Using studded tires will help you gain that extra traction you need when driving around in icy road conditions.

So can you use studded tires in Illinois or what? Well, according to Travel Asker:

Studded tires are only allowed from November 15 through April 1...must also meet certain specifications, including a maximum stud length of 1/16 inch and a maximum of 100 studs per tire. Drivers should also be aware that studded tires are not allowed on some types of roads, including interstates and tollways.

Then again, Tire Reviews and More mentions studded tires are "Limited to rural mail carriers and individuals with disabilities in unincorporated areas." Confused? So am I.

Searching through the Illinois Department of Transportation website revealed zero information regarding studded tires, but Tire Grades says "Metal Studs are not legal in Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, or Texas."

So I'm leaning toward studded tires being Illegal in Illinois, but why, you ask? I believe the biggest issue is the wear and tear studded tires do to roads and pavement but that's not the only reason, Tire Buyer says "When winter roads are dry or wet, studs actually decrease traction potential."

So what is perceived as something to help prevent hazards kind of creates them? Sounds like a headache I'd rather just skip. I'll just stick with the tires I got.