Winter tyres — Are they important?

Often car drivers have this question in their minds if they really need to have winter tyres for their vehicles. People who experience extreme weather conditions in their area need to keep different tyres for their vehicles so that the right kind of tyre can cater to that particular weather condition. For instance, if the weather in your area is hot and the roads are dry and parched, you definitely need summer tyres to counter this effect.

However, just the opposite holds true in the case of winter tyres. When the temperature drops considerably, you can’t have the same summer tyres fixed on your vehicle, as they are not going to give you the same performance. To withstand such harshness of weather, you need tyres that can continue to give you the best performance. That’s when winter tyres come to your rescue. It’s true that in such a case, you’ll need to have two sets of Hankook tyres Whitchurch, but they are worth it in the long run. You’ll get to know in detail about winter tyres here. Read on.

When do you need to use winter tyres?

Winter tyres are mandatory in most parts of Europe. However, some places also validate the use of snow chains When the temperature drops below 7°C, then it’s time to use winter tyres. In most of the places in Europe, you can see snowy and icy roads. Blizzards become quite commonplace and the weather turns at its worst.

This is the time when the roads get slippery and the risk of accidents increases manifold. You need tyres that can hold onto the ground firmly. The rule says that you need to use snow tyres from the month of October to April.

Not following the rules or not using winter tyres if they are mandatory, might invite harsh penalties from the authorities.

What makes winter tyres so special?

There are many special features that winter tyres carry. You need to read them once to know why winter tyres are made obligatory by some of the governments.

· As mentioned, roads in winter tyres are very slimy and icy. You need tyres with a good grip. That’s why winter tyres are made flexible by tyre companies. They have a high quantity of natural rubber in them. This gives the tyres much-needed flexibility and a good contact patch on the roads. It’s this elasticity that lets the tyres remain firm on the ground.

· Winter tyres have numerous slits on their tread. These are called sipes. These sipes go deep into the snow and give the tyres a strong grip on the icy and slippery roads of the winters. That means your vehicle is totally in your control and it won’t sway on the roads.

· Let’s come to the tread now. Winter tyres have deep grooves in the tread. When you drive these tyres, snow gets stuck into them. This actually helps the vehicle because snow in the tyres and snow on the roads together makes a good combination. You get superb traction on the roads.

Symbols on winter tyres

· M+S

This means mud and snow. That means such car tyres Whitchurch can run on both mud and snow without any issue.

· Snowflake symbol

This symbol that you’ll find on the sidewall will display a mountain with three peaks showing snow on them.

Can you replace winter tyres with all-season or summer tyres?

All-season tyres work the best when the weather is moderate. If it’s neither too hot nor too cold in your area and snow just happens by chance, then you can use all-season tyres around the year. Seasonal tyres work the best when they are used in that particular season.

So, winter tyres are required to perform in the winter season and you shouldn’t have any second thoughts about it.