Snow Tires and Winter Tires

All drivers must have either snow tires or winter tires mounted on their vehicles in preparation for the winter season. This is because of the harsh conditions experienced during the winter season, such as icy and snowy situations, which may make the performance of other types of tires difficult posing a risk to the driver’s safety and that of other road users.

Winter tires are good in performance during the winter than their all-weather tires counterparts which are known to perform well in all seasons. The tires are designed with special features to offer traction and grip on roads with snow and ice. Learn more about snow tires online here.

1. Provides The Best Grip When The Temperatures Are Freezing

When the temperatures go below 7 degrees Celsius, as is the case in most locations during the winter season, the all-season tires lose their elasticity by becoming hard. This situation makes the tires lose their capability of providing grip on the road. This is because the tires are made of thick thread, easily losing elasticity.

On the other hand, snow tires are manufactured with a thin thread that does not lose elasticity when the temperatures are very low. This helps them perform well no matter how harsh the winter conditions become by providing the best grip.

Providing grip and better traction is also important to enhance efficient braking by stopping at shorter distances. This helps the tire serve you for a long time because long-distance braking makes the tires wear out faster.

If you realize that the temperatures during the winter have started dropping to more than 7 degrees Celsius for seven days, it is a clear sign that you need to switch to winter tires for your safety and that of other road users.

2. Understand That When The Situation Is Difficult During The Performance, Every Inch Is Important

Some drivers may ignore switching to the appropriate tires when the winter season kicks, thinking that the thickness of the thread does not count. 

The thickness of the tire thread might be a small factor to consider, but it is important. The ability to grip and the traction ability are what determine the stopping distance. 

This means that the stopping distance is longer if the tire has less traction due to the thicker thread. This is enough factor to cause a collision on the road with another vehicle because when it comes to braking, every extra inch moved in the wrong direction matter.

Drivers should not ignore using snow tires that offer better traction to avoid poor performance of moving extra undesired inches when braking, which could result in accidents during the winter.

3. Avoid Very Cheap Winter Tires

In most cases, poor quality is associated with cheap products, which are not exceptional with tires. A dealer could sell the tires very cheaply compared to other dealers because they are of low quality, and no losses will be incurred even if he sells them at low prices.

Low-quality tires are a risk you should not take when it comes to your safety and that of other road users when driving during the winter. It is important to buy well-known models of snow tires to avoid the risk of poor performance.

4. Car Maintenance Tip

During the winter, it is recommended that you ensure the tabs on your tire’s pressure are closer than they usually are during the other seasons. This is the case because the temperatures during the winter are very low and could cause the pressures of the tires to drop without your risky knowledge.

If your vehicle does not allow you to keep the tabs closer due to the manufacturing design, you don’t have to panic, as there is the option of regularly checking the pressure of your tires. Regular checking will help you notice when the pressure is lower than required, allowing you to correct it before it causes a safety hazard.

You should not follow the pressure notations marked on the side of the tire instead, you should ensure you follow the recommendations your automaker gives you at all seasons. The automaker’s recommendations are mostly found on the driver’s side door.

5. Take Out Your Winter Tires In Time When The Winter Season Is Over

Snow tires are not designed for warm temperatures as it only destroys them.