Many drivers choose to rely on all-season tires to get them through tough winter conditions. Naturally, “all-season” means that you’re covered for the winter season, too, right? Not quite. Winter tires offer several advantages when dealing with cold road surfaces, snow, and ice. They can potentially save you quite a bit of money, as well.
1. Better Handling on Icy Cold Surfaces
Unlike all-season tires, they’re made with a softer rubber compound that resists hardening at freezing temperatures. Tires need to be flexible in order to grip the road, but that flexibility is drastically reduced during the winter. The softer compound allows the tire to maintain traction and keep you on the road. Better traction in the winter will allow your car to brake more responsively and quickly, improve acceleration, and limit sliding while cornering.
2. Wider Treads for Snow
They’re also called snow tires because their wider tread grooves are specifically designed to take on more of the white stuff. Snow crystals will adhere to themselves a lot better than they will to rubber (think packing a snowball), so the layer collected by the tire will actually help it to grip snowy surfaces much more easily.
Just as softer rubber allows for shorter braking distances, reduced wheelspin, and more confident turning on icy roads, wider treads will do the same when heavy snowfall hits.
3. Two Sets for Longer Tire Life
Having both an all-season and a winter driving set may seem quite costly upfront, but you’re actually extending service life while using each set for more appropriate driving conditions. The Federal Highway Administration states that Americans drive an average of 13,500 miles each year (1,125 per month). If you spend four months out of the year on a winter set, your all-season set may last an extra two to three years thanks to reduced wear and tear.
Not only will your tires last longer, but your vehicle will also always be properly equipped to handle road conditions. The real main cost would be service fees for switching the tires on your wheels or buying an extra set of wheels to fit new tires.
4. You Could Be Saving Money
Your chances of being involved in an auto collision significantly increases when driving during harsh winter conditions. These accidents often end up being quite costly and may increase your insurance premiums as a result. Using tires designed to handle ice and snow combined with good winter driving techniques will help you to avoid these types of incidents.
Depending on your state and insurance agency, you may also be offered a discount for equipping your vehicle with winter/snow tires. Most importantly, you could be saving yourself and your passengers from medical bills costing hundreds of thousands.
Having a winter set of tires is an excellent investment that can help keep you and others safe, reduce maintenance costs, and provide excellent handling when the roads are cold and slippery. Head to Flood Mazda and we’ll help you choose the right tires for your vehicle.
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