Our unpredictable winter weather is just around the corner. With the usual combination of rain, sleet, ice and snow, driving in our part of the country can be tricky. Our roads can become quite treacherous when they are covered with ice and snow. That’s why it is so important to make sure your tires are ready for driving in these unsafe conditions.
All Season vs. Snow / Winter Tires
Many of us have all-season tires that handle most of the road conditions and weather we encounter. As you might expect, in order to provide good performance in a variety of driving conditions, all-season tires inevitably have to compromise some max summer and winter performance capabilities. This means an all-season tire is not designed to handle extreme winter conditions like trekking through snow or driving on ice.
What the Experts Say
Consumer Reports’ testing clearly shows that most snow / winter tires have better snow traction than the average all-season tires. Snow/ Winter tires have special rubber compounds and tread designs that allow them to maintain grip under weather conditions in which standard tires don’t perform well. This applies to both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive cars, trucks and SUV’s.
If you live in an area with snow, ice, or frigid temperatures, winter tires can give you a safety edge that all-season tires won’t. Putting on snow / winter tires on your car once temperatures consistently drop below 50 degrees will be beneficial. Most drivers using snow / winter tires are more confident in driving in snow and less concerned about other drivers and the loss of traction.
Still Not Sure?
If you have questions on what type of tires your car, truck or SUV might need, please send me, Rob Hancock, an email at rob@becksautocenter.com. Or stop by our Sagamore Parkway location.