Tires forbidden?

We clear up the winter tire misunderstanding

(Bild: ADAC/Marc Wittkowski)

Anyone following the German media these days might think that winter tires with M&S markings are no longer permitted in Austria either. This is not true. We explain why you shouldn't use them anyway.

The headlines in our neighboring countries are full of "These winter tires are banned with immediate effect" reports. And indeed, in Germany, tires marked only with the M&S symbol have no longer been considered winter tires since October 1 - even though M&S stands for "mud and snow". From now on, only the pictogram showing a snowflake in a mountain outline is valid.

The flake in the mountain indicates winter tires.

(Bild: ADAC)

Background: The Alpine symbol on winter tires has been mandatory in Europe since 1 January 2018 - all tires with M&S marking that have been sold in Europe since then also have the snowflake on the tire sidewall. For vehicles registered in Germany, a transitional period for tires produced before the deadline ended on 1 October.

"In Austria, the legislator has not introduced such regulations," says ÖAMTC tire expert Steffan Kerbl. "You can continue to use older winter tires with the M&S symbol - both in Austria and in Germany."

Strictly speaking, such old tires are unsuitable in winter anyway - the rubber is now far too hard.

The expert therefore recommends: "If there really is no Alpine symbol on the tire, then it is high time to get new winter or all-season tires in terms of road safety, because these tires are certainly older than six years and no longer have the winter driving characteristics they should have."

As a reminder: From November 1 to April 15, winter tires are mandatory in Austria. Even if there is still some time until then, the expert recommends making an appointment to have your tires changed soon: "The closer the date gets, the busier the garages are. What's more, it can be very cold at night or at higher altitudes even in October, so you have a clear advantage with winter tires.