Winter Motoring in Germany

[Lutz]

Just a word of warning to anyone contemplating driving to or through Germany during the winter months. The law has been changed making, quote: "tyres suitable for the conditions" a legal requirement in Germany. In effect, this means winter tyres. Although the law does not explicitly include caravans, a fine may be imposed if a safety hazard can be proved by not having winter tyres on the caravan, too.

 

[KeithM]

Hi Lutz,

Is there a link to details of the new requirement? Whilst I can see the reasons for having winter tyres on axles that steer and/or transmit power, having them on a caravan axle doesn't seem necessary. My X-trail has all-terrain tyres but I do not know if they would be judged as suitable. We are considering a winter trip with our outfit to Bavaria and are prepared to buy a set of chains, but a new set of tyres would certainly make us reconsider

As an aside, I've experienced the difference winter tyres make (during a mid-winter business trip to Sweden), the grip on hard-packed snow was amazing and I'm not referring to studded tyres, just the normal Swedish winter tyres.

Keith M

 

[Lutz]

As I said, the requirement for winter tyres does not explicitly include trailers and caravans and there is therefore currently a lot of discussion in German caravanning forums about this issue. However, the gist is always that winter tyres on the caravan are recommended just to be on the safe side and to avoid any possibility of being fined by the police for having unsuitable tyres. The change to the law is relatively new and there doesn't seem to be any case of precedence yet which could help to clarify the point.

In view of the fact that generally tyres on caravans are replaced anyway long before the tread has gone, there seems to be a case for always having winter tyres on the caravan. Their main disadvantage in the summer (higher wear rate on dry surfaces) isn't really a problem on a caravan.

 

[Lutz]

A reply to another thread brings up an issue which I think is important. Don't think that winter tyres are required only on snow or icebound surfaces. The police will fine you with summer tyres even when driving on perfectly dry roads. The reason is that that summer tyres do not have optimal road grip characteristics at temperatures below about +7