Why winter tires could save your life

Why winter tires could save your life

Why winter tires could save your life

You will not be surprised to hear a tire company saying you should buy two sets of tires for your car instead of one, but they do have a compelling reason for saying we should all be changing to winter tires once temperatures drop below 7 degrees Celsius. Winter tires are designed for better grip in ice and snow, but they also work in the wet - something I proved for myself when I visited Good Year recently.

Given the opportunity to drive on different tire configurations on Good Year's test track, I experienced for myself the difference between cornering on a winter tire compared with a summer one. Taking a downhill corner in a Fiat 500 at 40kph with four summer tires on board, over running water, the car skidded around the corner - I could hold it but in traffic it would have possibly meant a call to the insurance company afterwards.

Doing the same thing again in a car with four winter tires showed a marked difference, as the car held the road well and did not appear to struggle. Knowing winter tires cost more than budget normal tires, I wondered what it would be like to fit just two winter tires on the front and summer tires on the back. I tested this as well - the worst result of all three tests as I felt the car at first cornering well, but with the back end sliding out terribly as the rear wheels tried to follow around the corner.

The statistics on winter tires compared with budget summer tires are impressive. The better cold and wet grip will ensure your car stops much more quickly at speed - which could stop you sliding into the back of a truck. What makes the tires work is the biting edges - the many slices all round the tire which are not just grooves but actually openings that physically grip the ice as you drive over it.

The problem for the family motorist is two-fold. How can you afford to buy two sets of tires for your car and where do you store the second set when you aren't using it? We don't all have garages or storage space, so that alone creates a problem. I asked about this and a Goodyear spokesman said the problem is being addressed by tire retailers, who are looking at a tire bank service, where they will store your spare set for you and switch the tires at the different times of year.

Most cost-conscious families are likely to shun the idea of buying two sets of tires per car, and will instead choose only one. Is it better to pay 20% more for a winter tire and run that all year, or save money and keep the summer tire on the car, but just drive more carefully in winter conditions? I know what most people would say, but perhaps attitudes will change once new tire classification rules come into place in Europe in November 2011.

What's perhaps alarming is the lack of knowledge about tires in the first place. In a recent Goodyear Dunlop survey in Europe, 34% of respondents were unsure whether the tires on their car were summer or winter tires.

"Road Safety is a major concern, and the confusion around winter tires needs to be resolved in order to make motoring safer," said Tom Delforge of Goodyear Dunlop. "When 43 per cent of drivers think it is OK to drive on snow with summer tires if you're careful, that's a serious safety hazard. We have to increase people's awareness, not just on winter tires, but about how the right tires for the right conditions can contribute to road safety generally."

POST COMMENT

Attracting Women With Body Language Tibetan Terrier Dog Breed Description, History, Grooming, Health Issues and Living Conditions Fatigue Symptoms Everybody should adopt the green way of living Pampering & Wellness Alzheimer's Disease Research Eat Healthy In Winter The Healthy Vitamins for Women That You Should Be Taking Save On Heating Bills -- Get Economical This Winter! Pregnancy Symptoms and Pregnancy Week by Week and Effective Pregnancy Diet Healthcare It Market Outlook In The Us To 2016 Aarkstore Enterprise Stop Hair Loss Problems and Great Herbal Remedies for Hair Loss De-stress Your Body With Colon Hydrotherapy