The weather now poses a number of challenges for all road users. Drivers and cyclists have to adapt to the autumnal road conditions with wet and leafy roads and poor visibility.
Special caution is now required in road traffic - whether you are a driver, cyclist or pedestrian. The Bonn police therefore give you useful tips on how to get through traffic safely and stress-free in autumn and winter.
Switch to winter tires now
The rubber compound of summer tires hardens from temperatures as low as 7°C, noticeably reducing grip. The result is a longer braking distance. While it takes around 35 meters to come to a standstill at 50 km/h in an emergency braking manoeuvre with good winter tires, you need around ten meters more with summer tires. The road traffic regulations stipulate appropriate tires for "black ice, slippery snow, slush, ice or frost". There is no fixed time period. However, the rule of thumb is the period from October to Easter. Tires that are considered suitable for winter use are permitted. According to the law, this only includes tires with the Alpine symbol (mountain pictogram with snowflake). All-weather or all-season tires (with M+S marking) could only be used until the end of September 2024 as part of a transitional regulation. Tires that only have an "M+S" marking are therefore no longer permitted in winter road conditions.
Watch out for leaves on the road
More leaves on the road than on the trees? Now is the time to be careful. Leaves on the road are particularly treacherous in rainy weather. Damp leaves can quickly cause dangerous skidding when driving. Please drive with foresight and adjust your speed to the weather and road conditions - whether you are driving a car, bicycle, motorcycle or moped.
Highest concentration when driving in fog
In autumn, fog often rolls in during the morning hours, especially here in the Rhine Valley. When driving in fog, make sure you keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you. Switch on your headlights as soon as the first wisps of fog appear so that you have better visibility and are also seen more quickly by other road users. Only when visibility is below 50 meters may you switch on the rear fog light. The following principle applies on highways and country roads in dense fog: visibility = speed. This means that if visibility is 50 meters, you should drive at a maximum speed of 50 kilometers per hour.
Autumn is the time of wildlife accidents
To protect yourself from wildlife accidents, the police advise you to drive at a moderate speed: If a warning sign indicates a change of game, you should reduce your speed. Drive carefully, pay attention to the adjacent forest and meadow edges and be ready to brake. To avoid wildlife accidents in the dark, drivers should slow down, dim their high beams and sound their horn when they spot a wild animal. In 2023, 248 wildlife accidents were recorded in the Bonn police jurisdiction.
See and be seen - as a driver
It is still dark or twilight when you drive to work in the morning or take the children to school. In cloudy rainy weather, it doesn't really get light all day long. It is now important for drivers to have good visibility and to be seen well by other road users. Therefore, check your car regularly to make sure the lights are working and the headlights are correctly adjusted. Also drive with your lights on during the day - you will be recognized much more quickly, especially on cloudy autumn days.
See and be seen - as a cyclist
Darkness and twilight, cloudy autumn weather, the headlights of cars reflecting on the rain-soaked road - for you as a cyclist, it is crucial that you are still seen by other road users at an early stage. Regularly check that the lights on your bike are working and make sure that the prescribed reflectors are fitted. Also switch on the lights on your bike during the day. Use reflective jackets, vests or accessories such as neon-colored overcoats or reflectors for your bicycle helmet or panniers.
See and be seen - as a pedestrian
If you are crossing an asphalt-grey road at night or in twilight, you will not be visible to other road users until it is very late. Please be aware of this risk when you are out and about on foot. Wear winter jackets with reflectors or use appropriate accessories, such as reflective tapes. As a jogger, you should also make yourself clearly visible, not only on the sidewalks along the roads, but also on combined foot and cycle paths, for example in the Rheinaue and along the banks of the Rhine. Please also equip your children with reflective clothing, as they often walk to school in the morning at dusk.
Adjust your speed
Freezing wet conditions, black ice, snow? Drive slowly and with foresight. Driving as fast as permitted by road signs is now too fast. Adapt your driving speed to the weather and road conditions. Reduce your speed to a level that allows you to drive safely, react well and stop safely.
Remove snow and ice from your car
Clean the snow from the car roof and hood before starting your journey. There is a risk that the snow will be blown from the roof onto the windshield and rear window while you are driving and obstruct your view. If snow or ice comes off the roof while driving, this can also be dangerous for drivers behind you.