Have you ever found yourself wondering whether to purchase winter tires or if your stock all-season tires you have on your vehicle will do the trick? We have done some research that may help you make the important decision on whether your treads need upgrading in the Winter months.
When the conditions outside are warm and the roads are perfectly dry there is no doubt that almost any kind of tire is going to provide you with some grip and traction, however throw in a bit of freezing rain, super snow storms, black ice patches, and melting then re-freezing action and you have yourself a recipe for disaster if you are still zipping around in your old all-season tires.
Did you know that on a snowy road (or a road with conditions much like we described above) winter tires have a 38% less chance of being involved in a collision than a vehicle with all-season tires? This is probably because a winter tire’s stopping distance is 38% shorter than an all-season tire under the same conditions.
The rubber becomes hard on tires that aren’t designed for cold weather and your tires will become next to useless in the fact that they will no longer provide you with the grip you need to keep you safe on the roads. The closed tread designs on these all-season tires become clogged with ice and snow giving you that fish-tailing, slippery-sloping action you may notice when pressing your brake. Winter tire’s treads are a more aggressive tread pattern that is capable of chomping down and releasing the snow keeping your treads clear of snow and debris. Winter tires are made of a softer compound, keeping it pliable well below freezing temperatures (and we all know we can see some pretty nasty freezing temperatures in Alberta!) meaning that it is suitable to maintain grip.
Now we aren’t knocking your all-seasons. There’s a reason why winter tires are best suitable for winter temperatures. That same softer compound that your winter tires are designed with to handle colder temperatures are going to remain much too soft in warmer summer climates. Changing back to your all-seasons once the temperature deems appropriate will increase your tires safety and effectiveness while keeping you less likely to be involved in a collision.
If that isn’t enough to make you consider making the switch to winter tires, or you have questions and need more information or a quote on winter tires – give our Parts department a call at 780-826-3278 or email us an inquiry through our website http://www.ducharmemotors.com/dcm/auto-parts.