Don’t Forget the Speed Sticker for Winter Tires

Hanover, November 18, 2019. Winter tire season is with us again and more and more drivers are switching to the safe tires for low outdoor temperatures. As a leading winter tire manufacturer, Continental is reminding drivers that, in Germany at least, the Road Traffic Licensing Act states that in some cases the appropriate speed sticker must be mounted “in the driver’s field of vision”. The sticker is required when the top speed of the vehicle is higher than the maximum permissible speed of its winter or all-season tires with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. If the sticker is missing and the driver is stopped by the police, a fine of EUR 5 becomes payable. If the vehicle is caught on camera traveling at more than the maximum permissible speed of its tires, a fine of EUR 25 is due. The maximum speed of the vehicle can be found in box “T” in Part 1 of the registration certificate. The permissible top speed of a tire appears in the lettering on the sidewall. Different letters indicate different maximum speeds: By way of example, the “T” in 195/65 R 15 T stands for 190 km/h, while tires marked 195/65 R 15 H can be run at up to 210 km/h. Tires approved for higher speeds are marked with a V = 240 km/h or W = 270 km/h. Tires with a Q marking are only approved for speeds of up to 160 km/h.