A Few Questions About Snow Tires Answered

If you live in an areas that experiences extremely cold temperatures during the winter months, then you may want to protect yourself and your car from potential weather related accidents. One way to do this is to make sure that your vehicle is fitted with weather protection gear.

Winter or snow tires are one of the most common types of installations that are purchased to for protection. You may have a few questions about the tires before you go out and buy them though. Keep reading to learn about a few common questions and also to understand the answers to them. 

Do Snow Tires Keep You From Sliding on Ice?

Snow tires or winter tires are made to help you drive through snow within getting stuck. However, most drivers are as equally concerned about ice during the winter months as they are about snow. Certain situations and circumstances may ice highly dangerous. Ice that accumulates on high speed roads, the formation of ice during a freezing rain event, and the accumulation of frozen water on bridges are all situations that can cause accidents. Also, unexpected or intermittent ice accumulation can be a cause for concern, especially if you do not anticipate ice to gather on the road. 

Since ice is a winter weather hazard issue, you may want to know if snow tires protect your from ice. The good news is that they do. The tires are made specifically to provide your car with better traction in conditions where snow and ice accumulate. The treads on the tires feature specific patterns and deep treads that help the tire grip the road better. The channels between the treads also work to force snow out of the way so the tire does not slide on accumulated snow or slush.

Winter tires are also made from a more pliable type of rubber. The rubber is both flexible and soft. This helps the tire mold itself over the ice to prevent slipping concern. 

Can Snow Tires Be Used All Year?

If you have looked at different brands and types of tires, then you may have seen several different terms to describe the tires. The terms "all weather tires" and "snow tires" are two things you may see when shopping around. While these two types of tires may seem as though they are interchangeable, they are not. All weather tires are meant to be used year round during all four seasons. The tires are made to perform well in both mild summer and winter conditions.

Specifically, the tires are made with a medium firm type of rubber that is flexible enough to grip the road in the winter and firm enough to handle hot pavement conditions. However, all seasons tires are not flexible enough to grip the road like all winter tires can. 

If you live in an area that experiences mild summers and harsh winter, then you may not be as concerned about the performance of your tires during the warmer months. Unfortunately, this does not mean that you should use your snow tires all year round. If you do this, then the rubber will become even more pliable once the temperatures rise. The soft rubber can then wear away quickly. The deep tread will become shallow and this can reduce the gripping power of the tires during the winter. 

Also, snow tires will not grip the road as well during the summer months. This can make it dangerous if you need to stop quickly or turn sharply. The tires will typically skid across the pavement if you need to maneuver quickly. 

If you think that snow tires are your best option for safety during the winter months, then make sure to purchase a set of all weather or summer tires as well. Secure the snow tires on your vehicle during the winter and use the other tires the rest of the year. 

To learn more about your options, contact companies like Salinas Tire.