By Lauren Fix, The Car Coach
Winter is upon us, and we need the ultimate in safety for our families. Many vehicles today are equipped with all-season tires that offer good handling capabilities on most road conditions, but this might not be enough for the upcoming winter road conditions.
No matter what you drive, there are only four things that touch the ground–your tires.
To make your winter drive safer, you need to understand the difference in each tire type. Just like the soles of our shoes, the treads of tires are designed for different performance needs.
Summer Tires
Offered on performance cars and offer amazing traction, and are designed for a specific type of performance.
All Season Tires
All season tires could be compared to a sneaker—it gives you good traction in most conditions. They tend to stiffen, though, in the cold, leaving them unable to provide optimal traction for accelerating and stopping.
Then there is the 40-degree Rule—below 40 degrees all-season tires don’t offer the best traction or safety. Winter tires are built for cold weather, traction in deep snow, and grip on ice. This is why having a set of winter tires is so important.
Credit: Oregon Department of Transportation
Winter Tires
Think of winter tires the same as wearing snow boots. They give you the best grip to dig deep into the snow, channel water, and slush from under the tire, providing vehicles more control and safety. The result is enhanced grip and better performance on the ice.
If you drive in the snow more than three times per year, then you need snow tires!
Be careful out there!
Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows, including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, Community Digital News, and more. Lauren also co-hosts a regular show on ABC.com with Paul Brian called “His Turn – Her Turn” and hosts regular radio segments on USA Radio – DayBreak.
Lauren is honored to be inducted into the Women’s Transportation Hall of Fame and a Board Member of the Buffalo Motorcar Museum and Juror / President for the North American Car, Utility & Truck of the Year Awards.
Check her out on Twitter and Instagram @LaurenFix.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
