The snowy weather warnings are here and before the UK comes to a standstill it is time to think, are my tyres safe?
Not using winter tyres can increase your chances of having an accident in the winter months. Below are some very good reasons why you should fit winter tyres.
There are three different types of tyre on the UK market today. Summer tyres, Winter tyres and All Season tyres. Many motorist are unaware of the difference and where these three very different tyres sit in terms of seasonal use. Let us look at the differences between the tyres.
- Summer tyres – Yes you’ve guessed it, summer tyres are for summer use and have no real winter driving capability. They are great in dry weather conditions and some are outstanding in the wet, but only function properly in conditions and temperatures of about 7 degrees and above. The temperature plays a big roll on the performance of a tyre and driving summer tyres on a road where the temperature is below 7 degrees will dramatically effect braking distances and handling. All this is down to the rubber compound mix of the tyres, which stiffens up and loses its flexibility when temperatures drop below 7 degrees.
- Winter tyres – A winter tyre is noticeably different to a summer tyre in appearence, they are very aggressive looking, covered in lines which are called sipes and have pointy edges. This aggressive tread pattern is there for a reason, the sipes open enabling the tyres to bite into the snow and ice resulting in better traction and handling. The real magic is in the compound mix of the rubber, the use of more natural and silica allows the tyre to remain flexible in sub-zero temperatures giving the user confidence to drive in snow and icey conditions.
- All-season Tyres – An All-season tyre is a compromise between summer and winter tyres. When looking at the more traditional all-season tyres the tread is split into two half’s one side to deal with snow and slush and the other to deal with dry and wet conditions in the warmer summer months. This makes us come to the conclusion if you need winter tyres then you should by winter tyres as you are not going to get the full benefit by using an all-season tyre.
If you are unsure which tyres best suites you, please give us a call 01482 486138 and we will be happy to help.