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Compulsory snow tires: debate in Switzerland

It snowed a lot in the plains from Thursday, particularly in German-speaking Switzerland. Accidents have increased on the roads. The Bernese police, for example, counted 130 between Thursday 1 p.m. and Friday morning. French-speaking Switzerland was not spared. Several cantonal police forces specified that the vehicles involved were often not equipped with snow tires.

These images of road chaos have obviously inspired a politician. National Socialist Councilor Gabriela Suter declared this weekend that there should be an obligation to use winter tires in Switzerland. These people also endanger other road users, she told Tele M1. “It is important that this is enshrined in law, so that the police can carry out preventive checks and sanction people accordingly.”

According to the German-speaking media, the elected official is preparing an intervention in Parliament. She would like to set a period for the obligation, which could run from November 1 to February. UDC national councilor Benjamin Giezendanner fears that such “putting under supervision” of motorists will have the opposite effect. If October is hot and cars no longer have summer tires, there could even be more accidents, he says. Defining a fixed period for the entire country is absurd in his opinion, because snow usually falls first in the mountains and later on the Plateau.

In Switzerland, snow tires are not compulsory, but in the event of an accident, drivers risk being penalized by their insurance if they are not equipped. In neighboring countries, different rules apply depending on the region and weather conditions. The TCS details the precautions to take on its website.


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