Is there a small mountain peak with a snowflake on my winter tire? Or the old M+S symbol? If you change the tires on your car to get through the winter safely, you should pay attention to this. M+S, which stands for “mud and snow” and is an older name for winter or all-weather tires. But: Manufacturers have no longer been allowed to sell such tires since 2018. And from October onwards they will no longer be allowed to be used in wintry road conditions.
ADAC praises the Alpine symbol
Anyone caught doing this in snow and ice will face a fine and one point in Flensburg. There are no standardized test criteria for these tires that ensure that they work well in winter conditions. There were no neutral tests to get the M+S designation; a slightly thicker profile was enough.
This is different for tires with the Alpine symbol, a mountain with three peaks and a snowflake. There are standardized procedures for these, including braking and acceleration behavior as well as the properties of the rubber. Even at low temperatures, these tires should remain flexible and offer better grip. This is how a so-called “snow grip characteristic value” is determined. If it exceeds a certain mark, the tire gets the Alpine symbol. Because of these increased quality standards, the ADAC believes that the introduction of the new winter tires makes sense in the interests of road safety in winter.
No general winter tire requirement
By the way, M+S tires that still have enough tread do not need to be thrown away. You can continue driving with them, just not in wintry road conditions. In general, there is no general winter tire requirement in this country, but rather a so-called “situational winter tire requirement”. This means that in winter road conditions – i.e. black ice, mud or ice – you can only drive with winter or all-weather tires with the Alpine symbol.
In response to a BR24 request, Allianz Insurance points out that in the event of a car accident despite inadmissible all-weather tires, the vehicle insurance covers both liability and comprehensive insurance. So it’s not about driving without insurance. If the tires at the time of the accident do not meet the legal requirements, the motor vehicle insurer can limit its services or take recourse against the insured person, according to Allianz. If you live on a Bavarian border, you should also find out about the rules from your neighbors.
