Most people, when they think about driving, almost always imagine sunny weather, during which it is a pleasure to drive a car. However, in practice, a person quickly realizes that often the weather brings us down, and therefore special attention must be paid to safety, since any deterioration in the weather increases the likelihood of an accident on the road.
The winter period of time is the most problematic in terms of driving. During this time, temperatures drop, snow falls, slush and ice form. All these factors impair the grip of the car with the road. In this case, special attention should be paid to tires, since they are the very element that comes into contact with the road. An important requirement for tires is that they must necessarily match the weather conditions outside the window.
Let’s make a very important remark. Tire replacement is an essential operation that any driver who lives in cold regions and regions where there is no warm winter should carry out. Only winter tires can provide a sufficient level of safety for the driver and all other road users.
This material will help you better understand the types of winter tires and answer the most common questions from drivers.
Varieties of Winter Tires
It is important to understand that winter tires are a generalized name for a wide range of different types of tires, each of which is suitable for use in different conditions. That is, winter tires are also different from each other. We will try to figure out how to choose the most suitable tires for you.
First of all, you should pay attention to the type of car. If you have a sedan or coupe, then in this case you need to use one type of tire. If you drive an SUV or a pickup truck, then others.
Sports cars also require the use of special winter tires that will provide excellent traction. That is, by visiting the seller, you can already decide in advance what you need.
Also, all winter tires can be classified not only depending on the type of vehicle, but also on the budget available to the driver.
Features of Marking Winter Tires
As you know, marking is a special designation that contains brief information about a particular object. There are many different markings on tires. The most famous for all drivers is the size of the wheel, in particular its radius and height. Depending on this parameter, the wheels are selected for each vehicle. A similar marking also exists for the patency of the wheels and the features of their operation. Let’s consider it in more detail.
In order to be sure that the tire is suitable for riding in the cold season, it must be marked Three Peak Mountain Snowflake. She confirms that the tire has passed all the necessary tests, which confirmed that it successfully copes with harsh winter conditions.
Winter Tires: Features
Each driver should be well versed in the types of tires, since his safety directly depends on this. Only knowing the features of all varieties, he will be able to choose the right tires that will provide maximum safety while driving.
It is necessary to go deeper and understand in more detail the main characteristic features of winter tires. The main one, without any doubt, are special spikes that can be made from different materials. Most often they are made of metal, ceramic or rubber. Their main purpose is to increase the grip of the car with the road.
It is important to understand that not all winter tires should have spikes. Winter tires can be classified into three main categories: non-studded, studded and studdable. The last category includes special tires, where there are special holes for the spikes. When using them, the driver can contact a specialist at a service center who will install these spikes. The main advantage of this model is that when using such tires, the driver can install spikes only if he really needs them.
You need to understand that in the winter, a fairly large number of drivers still love fast driving, which becomes impossible without the appropriate tires.
Studded tires, as the name implies, have pre-installed spikes. These will be metal dots that are very easy to spot on the surface of the wheel.
The third variety – non-studded tires, relies on the tread pattern. It has a special width and depth to provide increased traction.
When considering studded tires, it is important to consider current legislation. The thing is that not all US states allow their use. Therefore, before purchasing such tires, contact the nearest police station or service center, where they will help you get up-to-date information. The ban on the use of spikes is explained by the fact that spikes can cause damage to bare asphalt, which is why their use is prohibited. Moreover, violation of such legislation will be fraught with rather large fines for the driver, therefore this factor should not be underestimated.
You also need to consider the level of comfort when driving. The thing is that studded tires can be somewhat uncomfortable to ride, as the wheels will be noisier due to the metal. Therefore, during long trips, this can be uncomfortable. However, this way you get more safety due to increased grip. This means that you can use the additional power of the car in the winter. This is especially important for drivers who want to get the most out of driving even in winter.
Conclusion
Summing up all the theses considered, we can conclude that choosing winter tires is not so difficult, but a fairly large number of factors must be taken into account. The first step is to consider the climate in which a person lives. If it is warm outside for most of the year and the weather gets worse for only a few days, then there is no need for winter tires. Otherwise, it becomes an indispensable choice.
After that, you can choose among the whole variety of winter tires, starting from your own budget and vehicle features.
Remember that you should not neglect the issue of replacing tires, since your safety and the safety of those around you directly depend on this. If you use summer tires during the cold season, then your grip on the road is greatly deteriorating, and the likelihood of an accident increases greatly. At the same time, there is no reason to think that replacing tires is too expensive. Today, winter tires are quite common, so you will not have any problems finding a budget option that is perfect for your car. The main thing is that the dimensions of the wheel correspond to other technical characteristics of the car.
Another widespread misconception among car drivers deserves special attention. Many people think that winter tires should only be put on the drive wheels, and the second pair of wheels can run on summer tires. In fact, this is not the case, and the car loses its control to a large extent. Moreover, there is a big risk that half of the car with summer tires will constantly skid, and the driver will not be able to control it in any way. Therefore, do not try to save on your security, as this is fraught with big troubles.
