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VACO clarifies winter tyre regulations
25-01-2011Leiden, 17 January 2011 – VACO, the sector organisation for the tyre and wheel industry, has been answering many questions about the legal requirement for winter tyres in Europe in recent months.
‘It’s not really surprising’, explains branch manager Edwin Brinksma. ‘The rules concerning winter tyre legislation vary greatly within Europe and are constantly changing. For example, winter tyre legislation changed in Germany in December when changes were made to the definition of ‘winter conditions’. And in Italy, winter tyre legislation is implemented at a regional level (the Milan province and the Aosta province). This local winter tyre legislation is enforced for different periods within each area.’ The changes have made it necessary to again update the overview, made only a few months ago. The new, complete overview can be found at www.debandenwisselweken.nl.
Snowflake symbol
Not only are there many questions about winter tyre legislation, but the use of the snowflake symbol (Three Peak Mountain Symbol) also often causes confusion. Edwin Brinksma: ‘The legal requirement in most European countries is that only tyres marked M+S or M&S on the side of the tyre are considered to be winter tyres. This means that all tyres marked M+S (including 4x4s and SUVs) are, from a legal point of view, winter tyres.
Legal status
Tyres with the snowflake symbol have passed all the American tests (ASTM) for grip on compacted snow. However, winter tyres with the snowflake symbol are only legally recognised in the United States and Canada. Edwin Brinksma: ‘Tests show that tyres with the snowflake symbol have much greater traction on snowy and icy surfaces than tyres without the symbol. Furthermore, the meaning of the snowflake symbol is clear to both the tyre specialist and the client. The advice of VACO is therefore that only winter tyres with both the M+S mark and the snowflake symbol should be fitted.’
VACO has argued for many years in Europe for a legally-recognised distinctive symbol for winter tyres. This could for example be the snowflake symbol.
• Source: VACO