Winter Tyres and All Season Tyres: The Difference
by Brian, under Cars, Safety & Advice.
Many people wonder about the usefulness of winter tyres and think that all season tyres can give the same performance. In fact they do not consider tyre change for winter as an important matter. The fact is that more than sixty percent of the accidents that happen in winters are because of inappropriate tyres. Hence, separate tyres must be considered for winter season. Let us compare them with all season tyres to understand the difference.
Features of Winter Tyres and All Season Tyres
The tread in winter tyres is very different from the tread in all season tyres. It is especially made so to ensure better traction on slippery roads during winter. The compounds in such tyres have more natural rubber that makes them softer than all season tyres. This ensures that they remain soft in low temperatures as well.
The addition of silicon is another added advantage for the same reason. The silica micro pores used by these tyres ensure that there is better grip on snow and ice and slush if wiped off from the roads so that the tyre gets a firmer grip. These qualities are not available in all season tyres.
In all season tyres, the compounds are mixed in a way that the tyres are suitable for all seasons. Hence, they are made to be better wear and micro pore or other similar technologies are not suitable for these compounds. Hence, such tyres begin to harden when the temperatures go below seven degree Celsius.
Other features are also included in tyres meant for winter seasons. They have grooves with very wide base that provide for more ground and hence, better grip on roads filled with water and slush. These substances get expelled from the tread the tyres rotate. Thus, the grooves with additional surface area also contribute towards the stability of these tyres which is missing in all season tyres.
Sipes, which are minute slits in the tread surface, also help in removing water from the roads and contribute towards better handling on slippery surfaces. The sipes in all season tyres are much lesser. Another difference is that tyres meant for winter season come with round casing which is not the case with all season tyres. Hence, the former provide better traction on slippery roads.
Tyres for winter season have soft studs that help in increasing the friction between the tyre and the road, thereby, providing better stability to the vehicle. With all these features, tyres meant for winter season provide more safety on dangerous roads. They are ideal for areas where temperatures drop below eight degrees Celsius.
A recent study revealed that with all these features, tyres for winters can brake at least eleven metres before a normal summer or all-season tyre at a speed of thirty kilometre per hour. This difference is significant when you consider the safety of yourself and your family members. Hence, these tyres are ideal for driving in winters and you must get them.