Since the beginning of this year, a new winter tire regulation has been in force in Germany. The 1. January 2018 came into force regulation that winter tires henceforth by the so-called Alpine Icon must be marked. The new symbol supplements the previous labeling of winter tires with the M + S symbol. For the old symbol, which stands for "mud and snow", there were no uniform test criteria, which should change with the new alpine symbol. But there is a transitional period for old M + S tires.
The new alpine symbol on winter tires
At least since the beginning of January this year, newly produced winter tires are to be equipped with the so-called alpine symbol. Like the old M + S symbol, the new symbol is displayed on the sidewall of the tire. It shows a three-jagged mountain with a snowflake in the middle. For all new tires equipped with this symbol, uniform tests apply. This was different with the old M + S symbol, here there were no uniform test criteria and there was no verification of the information provided by the tire manufacturer. On the other hand, the new tires with the Alpine symbol must fulfill binding minimum performance requirements on snow-covered roads. Even a binding and uniform brake test must undergo the new tires.
Old tires may be used until 2024
If your winter tires do not yet have an alpine symbol, you do not have to throw them away immediately. Already produced winter tires, which only carry the M + S symbol on the sidewall of the tire, are allowed until the 30. September 2024 be used in winter traffic. However, this only applies if the tires in question before the 31. December 2017 were made. In this way, motorists have the opportunity to use up relatively new winter tires, but not yet bear the alpine symbol, until the year 2024.
Replace old winter tires
After the deadline, existing winter tires should no longer be used anyway due to their age. The actually soft rubber compound of winter tires can harden over the years and also become brittle. This not only increases the braking distance, the driving characteristics can also have a negative impact. This is particularly noticeable when the road is covered with snow through reduced grip properties in the curves, which in the worst case can lead to the vehicle inadvertently breaking out of the curve. If existing winter tires are used regularly, the tread will have worn out to such an extent by the end of the transition period that it will be inevitable to replace the tires. Although the legal minimum tread depth for winter tires in Germany is 1,6 millimeters, experts from the automobile clubs recommend a tread depth of at least 4 millimeters for winter tires. What do you actually have to pay attention to when the vehicle is to be made fit for the dark season? The most important information can be found in our winter check.
