There’s no greater urge for a person than to protect their family. Cars have been designed with dozens of safety features to do so. Air bags are located nearly everywhere to stop dangerous impacts from occurring. However, arguably the most important safety feature for winter isn’t included inside the cabin of a car. It’s what’s holding the car to the ground in icy conditions. Winter tires are a crucial safety feature for vehicles being driven in the water, ice and snow that are winter roads. Winter tires do a better job of pushing water, snow and ice away from the tire itself, allowing the vehicle to get maximum traction with the road below. Winter tires need to be used carefully. People who leave then on year round may find that their tires only last for one season. The following winter, these tires become a liability. Getting winter tires is important and keeping them in great shape can help provide the kind of safety and stability any family vehicle needs.
Winter tires work in two ways. The first is by having different tread patterns and grooves. The grooves are specifically designed to push water away from the tire and off to the sides. By pushing to the side instead of up and down, it ensures there is no water underneath the tire. From there, the tire doesn’t hydroplane or slip.
The second way that winter tires differ from regular tires is in the actual compounds used in the rubber. Winter tires are softer tires than their all season or summer counterparts. These compounds get better traction on the ice and snow. However, there’s a downside. Since these compounds are softer, they can wear quickly if they are not in proper conditions and temperatures. This means that winter tires can’t be worn in the summer.
Picking the right moment to put on winter tires can be tricky. You want to ensure that the temperature is going to stay low. If it’s too warm, the tires will quickly wear from being heated and used. However, there’s an issue if you wait to see snow fall. Everyone is going to be booking appointments to get their winter tires on, which can result in weeks of delay.
Ideally, a good idea is to look at temperatures. Snow doesn’t need to be falling, as long as the temperatures are low. Ideally, the average temperature should be at or around freezing before winter tires go on. For many areas, winter tires go on come late November or early December. Some years where things are very warm however, it can be possible they aren’t really needed until January in some areas.
Almost every tire manufacturer has put out at least one set of winter tires. Which one is “best” will usually come down to preference as all will provide a certain level of protection. Some of the most popular options include:
