Mercedes on summer tires crashes into oncoming traffic

On a chilly Frankfurt evening, a Mercedes driver found themselves in a sticky situation. Cruising down the bustling streets of Berlin-Mitte, they lost control of their fast car, equipped with summer tires. - A Mercedes goes awry in Berlin's heart

Sliding over the divider and veering past the 30 km/h sign, the Mercedes careened into oncoming traffic.

The history of Gustav-Böß-Straße came to a standstill, as traffic was diverted away from Spandauer Straße for roughly an hour. The fire department had to intervene, spreading a binding agent to halt the leakage of operating fluids.

The unfortunate encounter left all three vehicles significantly marred. Preliminary reports suggested no serious injuries were sustained.

Explore More:

The malfunctioning push-automatic transmission in the Mercedes likely contributed to the driver's loss of control on the treacherous roads.

With the sirens wailing and lights flashing, the police arrived at the scene to investigate the collision and assess the area.

The local Berlin news discovered this collision as a prime example of the perilous consequences of using summer tires in winter's icy embrace and the push-automatic failure in the Mercedes.

Source:

Safety Tips:

Summer tires on winter roads can turn even the most routine journeys dangerous. Understanding the risks and equipping your vehicle with suitable tires are vital for staying safe.

Risks to Consider

1. Lost traction: Summer tires, with their harder compounds and weak grip, become less flexible in cold temperatures. This results in less traction and an increased risk of accidents.
2. Longer braking distances: The colder weather decreases the elasticity in summer tires, causing braking distances to expand dramatically. In emergency situations, this could spell disaster.
3. Poor handling: The shallow tread design of summer tires makes it challenging to grip slippery surfaces, potentially leading to skidding and loss of control.

Tire Choices for Winter

1. Winter Tires:
2. Characteristics: These tires boast a softer compound and deeper tread patterns with biting edges, which provide better traction on frosty surfaces.
3. Legal Requirements: In some regions, winter tires are mandatory due to their proven effectiveness at lowering accident rates in wintry conditions.
4. Advantages: They bolster control during cornering and improve handling in winter, offering peace of mind for safe driving.
5. All-Season Tires:
6. Design: All-season tires can traverse various road conditions despite the cold, with a tread compound that remains flexible during winter and a three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating.
7. Pros: High-performance models, such as the Michelin CrossClimate2, showcase excellent year-round performance thanks to thermal adaptive tread compounds and tread patterns that reduce water pooling and enhance traction.
8. High-Performance SUVs and Mercedes:
9. For high-powered SUVs like Mercedes, using winter tires during the winter season is crucial for safety. In the absence of winter tires, opt for top-tier all-season tires with a 3PMSF rating for safe winter driving.

In essence, winter conditions can expose the risks of using summer tires. To safeguard yourself, equip your vehicle with winter tires or high-quality all-season tires with a 3PMSF rating.