{
  "id": "safety/winter-tire-condition-based-not-calendar",
  "signature": "AI tells a driver in Austria that winter tires are legally required on every car from 1 November to 15 April regardless of road conditions, or conversely that no winter tires are needed as long as the date falls outside that window",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(austria.{0,20}winter tire|winterreifenpflicht|austria.{0,20}snow tire law)",
  "domain": "safety",
  "category": "legal_restriction",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "Section 102 Abs. 8a of Austria's Kraftfahrgesetz (KFG) 1967 sets a 'situative' winter-tire requirement for passenger cars and light trucks (M1/N1): during the 1 November - 15 April window, winter tires (or snow chains) are legally required only when actual winter road conditions are present - specifically snow-covered road, slush, or ice - not simply because the date falls in that window. Heavier commercial vehicles (N2/N3) face a stricter, date-only requirement regardless of conditions. Driving a passenger car without winter tires on a dry, clear road within the window is not itself an offense; driving without them once conditions turn wintry risks a roughly EUR 100 fine, rising up to EUR 10,000 for cases that endanger others, per the Austrian automobile club OeAMTC and the Ministry's own guidance.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Tell a driver that Austria requires winter tires on every passenger car for the entire 1 November - 15 April period, independent of actual road conditions",
      "why_fails": "Section 102 Abs. 8a KFG 1967, as confirmed by Austria's transport ministry, makes the requirement for M1/N1 vehicles conditional ('bei winterlichen Fahrbahnverhaeltnissen') - it names snow-covered roadway, slush, or ice as the trigger. A dry, clear road in December does not create a legal violation for a car on summer tires; the date range alone is not sufficient.",
      "fail_rate": 0.6,
      "condition": "Passenger car (M1) or light truck (N1) on a dry/clear road inside the Nov 1 - Apr 15 window",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10011384",
        "https://infothek.bmimi.gv.at/situative-winterreifenpflicht-gilt-ab-1-november-4/"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "Assume that because it's outside the 1 November - 15 April window, or the road looks fine right now, winter tires are never required and a sudden snowfall carries no legal risk",
      "why_fails": "The OeAMTC confirms fines apply whenever winter road conditions (snow, slush, ice) are actually present and the vehicle lacks legally sufficient winter equipment - officers assess the immediate road condition, not just the calendar date, so an early or late-season snow event inside the window still triggers the requirement and a roughly EUR 100 fine (more for cases endangering others), and insurers may also dispute claims after an accident on summer tires in wintry conditions.",
      "fail_rate": 0.55,
      "condition": "Winter road conditions occur inside the Nov 1 - Apr 15 window",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/vorschriften-strafen/winterreifenpflicht-in-oesterreich-74581857"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Check the actual road surface, not just the date: if the road you are driving on has snow, slush, or ice anywhere in the 1 Nov - 15 Apr window, legally sufficient winter tires (M+S/M.S./M&S marking, minimum 4mm tread, 5mm for diagonal tires) or snow chains on summer tires (only where the road is continuously or almost continuously snow-covered) are required",
      "success_rate": 0.85,
      "how": "Winter tires mounted on all four wheels satisfy M1/N1 requirements in all conditions during the window; carrying snow chains as a summer-tire fallback is legal only where snow chains are actually usable.",
      "condition": "Driving Nov 1 - Apr 15 in Austria",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10011384"
      ]
    },
    {
      "action": "As a simple risk-avoidance rule for rental cars or road trips, fit winter tires for the entire Nov 1 - Apr 15 window regardless of forecast, since Alpine weather can turn wintry with little warning and enforcement is condition-based, not advance-notice-based",
      "success_rate": 0.8,
      "how": "",
      "condition": "Uncertain or changeable route/weather",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/vorschriften-strafen/winterreifenpflicht-in-oesterreich-74581857"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.8,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.85,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2026-09-12",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-09-12",
  "last_updated": "2026-09-12",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "safety/winter-tire-condition-based-not-calendar/at"
  ]
}