From 12 October to 12 November - the “Lighting and Tyres” campaign is back

Every year, as the colder and darker season approaches, ACL teams travel throughout the Grand Duchy to carry out free checks of motorists’ lights and tyres. The initiative has become an essential part of Luxembourg’s road-safety prevention efforts and is organised in close cooperation with Sécurité Routière.

Three key points checked free of charge

During the campaign, which will run from 12 October to 12 November 2026, ACL experts will systematically check:

• The adjustment of dipped headlights, to ensure optimum illumination without dazzling other road users.
• The condition of the bulbs, in order to detect any faults that could compromise safety, particularly during the winter period.
• Tyre compliance and condition, as tyres are the vehicle’s only point of contact with the road – including tread depth, suitability for the season and the absence of abnormal wear.

For motorists, the campaign offers a free check with no appointment required, as well as a control sticker confirming that the vehicle has been checked.

Campaign schedule

From 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Nearly 5,800 free checks

The figures from last year’s campaign speak for themselves: in 2025, ACL teams carried out 5,749 free checks, representing a 6% increase compared with 2024 (5,307 vehicles checked). The success of the campaign confirms, year after year, motorists’ need for a simple, quick and accessible vehicle check before winter sets in.

However, behind these figures lies a more worrying reality: more than one in four vehicles checked (26.5%) had at least one non-compliance issue.

• 16% of vehicles had incorrectly adjusted dipped headlights – misaligned lighting that reduces visibility and dazzles other road users.
• 6% of vehicles were driving with at least one defective bulb, a significant increase compared with 2024 (3%).
• 4.5% of vehicles were fitted with non-compliant tyres – although this figure was cut in half compared with the previous year.

These figures are a reminder that these often-overlooked elements play a direct role in accident prevention, particularly on wet roads or in winter conditions.

Why it is important to check before winter

Beyond the safety aspect, a defect can also prove costly: Sécurité Routière reminds motorists that non-compliant tyres can result in a €145 fine and the loss of 2 points, while defective headlights can lead to a €74 fine. All the more reason to take advantage of a free check before winter arrives.

A free service, close to motorists

This campaign is organised by the ACL together with the SNCT, with the support of our partners Sécurité Routière, Autoglas, Baloise and Muller Pneus. Its strength: coming directly to where motorists are.

Last year, checks were carried out in the car parks of several partner shopping centres – including Cactus, Belle Etoile, City Concorde, Leclerc, Knauf Shopping-Center Pommerloch and Massen – as well as in the municipalities of Mertert and Ettelbruck.

Ready for the cold winter?

When the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, road conditions deteriorate considerably. You should therefore prepare your vehicle for the winter. As every year, ACL will be coming to your neighbourhood between 12 October and 12 November as part of the ‘Lighting and tyres’ campaign in collaboration with the ‘Securité routière’.

For one month, ACL will be organising checkpoints throughout the country to check the condition of tyres and the functioning of car lights free of charge.

Avoid battery failure

According to ACL statistics, breakdowns due to battery problems are the most common breakdowns, especially during the winter period. Batteries do not like the cold. Below 10° C, the chemical reaction is slower and sends less current to the electrical components. If your battery then also shows some weaknesses, failure is almost certain.

This is all the more true as modern cars consume a lot of electricity. Incidentally, remember to start your vehicle in winter before you switch on the defroster or seat heating. Good to know: The average lifespan of a car battery is four years.

Put on the right tyres in winter

Leaves, rain, ice and snow. The car driver’s arch-enemies return in the winter months. To have all the odds on your side, ACL checks the material of your tyres, their age, tread and general state of wear. As a reminder, the law stipulates that the minimum tread depth must be 1.6 mm. For safety reasons, ACL recommends that winter tyres with a tread depth of less than 4 mm should no longer be used. Below this limit, they are less effective on snow.

See and be seen at all times

When checking the lights, ACL and SNCT ensures that all lights are working (dipped beam, main beam, fog lights, driving lights, position lights, number plate lights, reversing lights and indicators). We also check the condition of the reflectors and headlight lenses.

The position of the headlights is also of crucial importance. ACL test also covers this very important aspect. If the headlights are positioned too high, they can dazzle oncoming drivers; if they are positioned too low, they do not illuminate the road sufficiently.

ACL cannot guarantee the adjustment of the lights as the checks are carried out in car parks. However, these car parks are not always level, which could affect the accuracy of the settings.

We inform participants in our events that they may appear in photographs or videos taken during the event. These recordings are intended for publication in the written or digital media published by the Automobile Club du Luxembourg.