Snow tires, also known as “winter tires" and “ice tires," are tires that have been designed and manufactured specifically to perform well under winter conditions. Winter tires are different from other tires in both their tread and the kind of rubber that they are made of. The rubber that is used to create winter tires is softer than tires that are used in summer conditions. The softer rubber grips ice and snow better than other tires and does not harden in cold conditions. This means when it's cold Winter tires will grip the road better even in clear, dry conditions.
The tread on snow tires is also much different than the tread on other types of tires. First of all, Winter tires have more grooves than most others. Like the soft rubber, these grooves also help the tires to grip snowy and icy roads.
On front-wheel-drive vehicles, winter tires must be fitted in complete sets of four tires. If high traction snow tires are mounted on the front and lower traction tires are mounted on the rear, the rear of the vehicle can lose traction during cornering or braking on snow or ice and spin out. This is a difficult condition for most drivers to control. Snow tires on all wheel positions will provide the most effective and safest winter driving.
How Cold Temperature Affects Tires/Winter Tips
Every time the outside temperature drops 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the air pressure inside your tires goes down about one or two pounds per square inch.
You should check your tire pressures frequently during cold weather and add the necessary air to keep them at recommended levels of inflation at all times.
Never reduce tire pressures in an attempt to increase traction on snow or ice. It does not work and your tires will be so seriously underinflated that driving will damage them.
If one of the drive wheels becomes stuck, the centrifugal forces created by a rapidly spinning tire can cause an explosion by literally tearing the tire apart. Never exceed the 35 mph indicated speedometer speed. Do not stand near the spinning tire.
If your vehicle is stuck and a tow truck is not readily available, gently rock your vehicle back and forth, repeatedly shifting the gear lever from drive to reverse on automatic transmissions, or reverse to second on manual transmissions, while applying gentle pressure to the accelerator. Caution: If you have an anti-lock braking system (ABS) in your car, follow the operational instructions in your owner's manual.
Winter Driving Tips
Stay safe this winter by following some sensible rules when driving
in slippery road conditions.