After almost summer temperatures at the weekend, it is now very cool again in Germany. Anyone who has followed the “O to O rule” and has already put on summer tires may be wondering whether they now need to switch back to winter tires.
Unlike in other countries, there is no general winter tire requirement in Germany, and the rule of thumb from October to Easter is also not legally binding. The winter tires for the cold season can be recognized by the Alpine symbol (snowflake with a stylized mountain) or the M+S symbol. It is also legally permitted to drive with winter tires in summer. But that doesn't make sense, as an ADAC test shows. This significantly increases the braking distance – especially on dry roads. If you don't want to change, you can use all-season tires. However, these do not make sense for all drivers. The latter will be banned next winter. The ADAC advises drivers who have already fitted summer tires to leave their vehicle parked in winter weather.