Dusseldorf. The cold season has arrived - and many German drivers are thinking about their winter tires. Between discarded technology and furniture, these are usually stored in the basement or garage and have to be slowly pulled onto the rims. But when actually? And which tires are no longer officially approved as winter tires? The Handelsblatt clarifies the most important questions.
The mnemonic “From O to O” – from October to Easter – serves as a rough rule of thumb for installing winter tires. During this time, some drivers in Germany change their tires. Strictly speaking, they don’t have to. In Germany, according to the road traffic regulations (Section 2 Paragraph 3a StVO), winter tires are required depending on the situation: Winter tires are only required for black ice, slippery snow, slush, ice or frost.
However, if the summer tires are still in use in winter temperatures, a police check will result in a fine of 60 euros and one point in Flensburg.
If the police also check the tire tread depth and it is below the prescribed 1.6 millimeters, this will result in an additional point in Flensburg and a fine of at least 60 euros. In the event of an accident it could be up to 120 euros. Owners are obliged to check the tread depth regularly. For comparison: new tires have a tread depth of eight to nine millimeters.
Even if the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6 millimeters, the ADAC recommends stricter requirements. Car owners should therefore replace summer tires at less than 3.0 millimeters and winter tires at 4.0 millimeters. Otherwise, the tires will lose their grip on the road, increasing the risk of an accident.
Summer tires can be recognized by the fact that they do not have a special name. Winter or all-season tires, on the other hand, are sometimes marked M+S (Mud and Snow). Attention: Tires marked M+S are no longer approved winter tires in Germany as of October 1, 2024. All winter-approved tires produced from January 1, 2018 must always be labeled with a snowflake and a mountain – the Alpine symbol. This is what EU law provides.
Tires that bear both the M+S symbol and the Alpine symbol are also permitted. Violations are punished with a fine of 60 euros.
In addition to their names, tires can also be identified by their rubber. Summer tires are made of hard rubber and coarse longitudinal grooves. Winter tires have softer rubber and side tread grooves. This means they grip better in the mud and snow.
All-season tires also have side tread grooves, but fewer than winter tires. These grooves are crucial because – similar to shoe treads – they determine how well a car can grip the ground.
Drivers can easily do a quick test themselves. For this you need a one euro coin because the gold edge is three millimeters wide. So simply hold the coin in a groove in the middle and on the edge of the tire. If the golden edge is covered by the rubber, the legal tread depth has definitely been reached.
There are also inexpensive tire tread meters for precise measurements. Another option is to slide a match between the grooves, mark the edge, and then measure with a folding rule or ruler.
Austria:
In Austria, winter tires are mandatory from November 1st to April 15th. Similar to Germany, in the neighboring country it also depends on whether there is snow or mud on the road. Then radial tires (the most common type) must have a tread depth of at least four millimeters for cars weighing up to 3.5 tons. Five millimeters applies to diagonal tires. The tread on all-season tires must also be at least five millimeters deep.
As an alternative to winter tires, snow chains are also permitted on at least two drive wheels. However, only if, according to the Austrian Ministry of Transport, “the road is covered with a continuous or not significantly interrupted layer of snow or ice”.
Italy:
Winter tires are mandatory on many routes in Italy. However, the regulations are different. Tourists should find out what the local regulations are in advance. For example, on the Brenner motorway (A22) and in the city of Bolzano, a winter equipment requirement applies from November 15th to April 15th, regardless of the weather: During this period, vehicles must either have winter tires or carry snow chains, which must be put on in the event of snow or ice.
In the Aosta Valley, which borders France and Switzerland, the winter tire requirement begins a month earlier, from October 15th.
Anyone who violates the laws faces a fine of up to 345 euros.
Switzerland:
In Switzerland, as in Germany, there is no general obligation to use winter tires. If there is snow and ice on the road, winter tires must be fitted.
