From November 1, 2024, the legal requirement to have winter equipment on Austrian roads will again apply to cars and vans.
In winter road conditions such as snow, mud or ice, all vehicles must be fitted with winter tyres. These must have a minimum tread depth of four millimetres, and even five millimetres for diagonal tyres. The ÖAMTC recommends planning tyre changes early, as workshops can quickly become fully booked in the event of sudden cold snaps.
Anyone who misses the change not only risks fines of up to 10.000 euros, but also possible problems with the car insurance in the event of damage. In the event of an accident, the insurance company could make a claim for compensation if summer tires were used. An exception are snow chains, which can be fitted to summer tires at higher altitudes under certain conditions. The ÖAMTC recommends preparing not only the tires, but also the vehicle itself for winter - especially the battery, lights and windshield washer system.