When it comes to driving in winter weather, having the right tire matters. From heavy snowfall to ice, winter roads are extremely unpredictable. These conditions challenge tires to provide traction like no other season of the year. The combination of cold temperatures, ice, and snow can be best met by winter tires, which are specially designed to perform in winter conditions. The solution to the winter tires vs all-season tires question will depend on where you live and the conditions in which you drive.
If you only see a few snow flurries each year and slick, icy roads are more of a fluke than an annual ordeal, all-season tires are probably the way to go. But if you know there’s a period when icy roads are always an issue, mounting winter tires isn’t an over-the-top precaution – it’s an essential safety measure that could save your life.
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Specific features of winter tires that make them unique :
1. Tread rubber
2. Tread depth
3. Edges
1. The Tread Rubber
In extremely cold temperatures, the tread rubber of an all-season or summer tire becomes less able to provide sufficient traction. To combat this, tread rubber compounds of winter tires are designed to remain flexible, allowing the tire to grip the road better. Winter tires have a higher natural rubber content which keeps them supple in the cold. The softer they are, the more the tire is able to interlock with the road surface, improving grip and handling. Unlike summer tires, which harden quickly in cold temperatures, winter tires perform best in temperatures below 7/8 degrees C.
2. The Tread Patterns
A unique feature of winter tires is deeper tread depths and unique tread patterns. Deeper tread depths reduce snow buildup and provide better traction on the snow. Winter tire tread patterns are designed to channel snow and slush and expel water.
They have a deep tread pattern. This provides a cavity for snow. Strangely, nothing grips snow better than snow, and the compacted snow intensifies the grip effect, adding traction to push the vehicle forwards on a snowy and icy road. Winter tires also have thousands of tiny grooves in their tread blocks which are used to disperse water and prevent aquaplaning. These grooves bite into the snow, slush, and ice, providing optimal grip with the road. To know more about -11 Things To Keep In Your Truck or Vehicle Which Will Help You During an Emergency or Break Down
3. Biting Edges
Winter tires also feature an increased number of biting edges and high sipe densities, or in other words, thousands of tiny slits in the tread that provide traction on ice. Winter tires have a series of zig-zag grooves covering their tread. And you guessed it! Regular tires do not. These grooves act as biting edges grip the road in snow or ice.
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