subject: Good Tires Equal Good Driving [print this page] Good Tires Equal Good Driving Good Tires Equal Good Driving
Having good tires on your car is absolutely vital for car performance and passenger safety. I didn't think too much about my tires in Mission Viejo, California but I sure did once I got to Minnetonka, Minnesota. Here the snow doesn't melt all winter. It just freezes, making every road treacherous. When cars are sliding all over the road, having good tires ensures your survival.
If you are shopping for new tires, there are a couple of things you should know about tire manufacturing and testing - especially if you want good tires for snow and ice conditions. If a tire meets the requirements of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) for the mud and snow designation, it will be marked with an MS, M+S, M/S, or M&S. This means that the tire has been designed to get traction in the snow. Accordingly, it has a row of large grooves that start at the edge of the tread and continue toward the center. At least 25 percent of the tire's surface area must be covered in these grooves.
The goal behind the pattern is to have enough void pace to allow traction. If tires are to qualify for severe snow use, however, they must be tested by an additional procedure monitored by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). An icon with a snow flake indicates that the tire has been proven to perform better than a standard tire. Look for these marks as you are shopping. If the tires you
