Winter Tires can be your key to Safety.

If you own a vehicle with a healthy engine, a strong transmission, a beefy suspension and great brakes, but your tires don't grip the road properly, then you have no traction and no control. It is the tires that determine the type of traction, grip and control that you have with your car. If you add up the amount you paid for the vehicle + the cost of car insurance + the maintenance and repairs you have in the car + the new stereo you bought for it, the cost of good tires may be one of the most economical purchases you can make.

To help illustrate how important tire traction is, I'd like you take a sheet of paper 8½x11 and fold it length wise, then width wise. This is approximately the size of the contact patch of each tire. The traction of these tires must handle the job of starting, accelerating, steering and stopping. This is a big job for a small amount of rubber rolling on the ground.

The compounds that make up a tire vary quite a bit depending on what kind of weather and the intended purpose the tires will be used for. In general, summer tires are made to last long, all-season tires are compromised to accommodate summer and mild winter conditions, and winter tires are made to handle snow and cold temperatures.

Every fall I get asked the same question...Do I really need to buy winter tires? My simplified answer is: the best all-season is not as good as a cheap winter tire.

Winter brings us very cold temperatures, slush, snow and ice, and while ABS and traction control on the newer cars prevent drivers from over braking and overpowering the available traction of their tires, the only thing you the driver can do to increase traction is to put on good winter tires. Winter tires will provide your ABS brakes and traction control with more grip to work with and increase the benefits they give you to control your car.

Tires marked M + S otherwise known as Mud and Snow are really all-season tires. While they do provide safe driving in mud and snow, they are not always fitting for the severe snow conditions we have here in Vermont.

What you want to look for is this pictograph of a snowflake inside of a mountain that will be found on the sidewall of winter tires. This symbol means they have met snow traction performance requirements for "severe snow service." standards.

Winter Tires are made up of softer rubber compounds then summer or all-season tires. The tread blocks of winter tires, dig into the snow and the sipes (or slits) bite into and grip the snow for traction. Winter tires also have a "self cleaning tread design". This means that as the tires roll over the snow, they use the snow for traction and then release the snow so it can trap it again for traction and release it again, etc. etc. etc.

The softer rubber compounds are also designed with cold temperatures in mind. Whereas summer tires and all-season tires lose their grip as these tires harden in temperatures below -10 C, winter tires keep on gripping.

Always put on 4 winter tires. Running only 2 winter tires or 2 studded winter tires is like wearing a Sorrel winter boot on one foot and a sneaker on the other.

Whenever you "swap" your tires in the spring or fall, store them upright in a clean indoor location, free from heat, and exposure to sunlight. If they are stored on their rims, reduce the tire pressure to approximately 15 psi to avoid possible cracking and deformation.

Safe Winter Driving Tips:

  • Make sure you clear the windows, lights, hood and roof of snow and ice before driving.
  • Leave extra room for stopping and brake more carefully than normal. It can take more time to stop in adverse conditions.
  • Don't pump anti-lock brakes (ABS). The correct way to use them is to "stomp and steer".
  • Don't stomp on brakes that don't have ABS. Pump the brakes lightly and quickly.
  • Watch out for slippery bridges, even if the rest of the pavement is in good condition.
  • If it is wicked slippery out, don't use your cruise control. If there is a sudden slippery spot and you touch your brakes to deactivate the cruise control, you could lose control of your vehicle.
  • Remember that trucks weigh a lot and take longer to stop. Don't cut in front of a truck or make a sudden turn or stop. Their stopping distance can be greatly increased due to poor driving conditions.
  • When the driving conditions are poor, go slow! If someone is on your tail trying to hurry you up to a speed you are uncomfortable with, find a safe place to pull over and let them by.
  • Keep your gas tank full during the winter. You want to minimize any condensation that could freeze your gas lines in frigid temperatures. Re-fill the gas tank when it gets down to 1/2 a tank.
  • Stock you car with essential winter driving paraphernalia: snow brush, ice scraper, bag of sand or cat litter, road flares, flashlight, a blanket, extra hat, gloves, boots and a jacket.

The snows will be here before we know it. Why not take some of the tension out of winter driving by putting on great winter tires that will provide greater traction and control to avoid the unexpected.

Happy Motoring,

Amy