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How can you continue to drive safely without winter tires? A set of new tires with a 3mm tread has 25% better performance than 1.6mm in wet conditions.
(PRWeb UK)
December 20, 2010
With all the snow and winter wreaking havoc, there is a heated debate over whether the UK should embrace winter tires. A number of drivers inquire about them while others are misinformed and would benefit from reading the winter tire guide. Yet there are many who are either unconvinced or choose not to care. The Tire Blog discusses alternatives to winter tires for those who aren’t quite convinced about the trade-off that increased tread depth will provide better grip. The confusion stems from the fact that there is no law to enforce the use of winter tires in the UK, but that’s another story in Europe, where winter tires are mandatory. Other countries like Germany appear to be on the verge of passing a law to ensure the safety of drivers on their roads.
Low stock of winter tires in UK
The problem for the UK is that it suffers from brief spells of cold and snowy weather. In other countries like Russia and Sweden, it becomes the normal way of life for a few months with constant snowfall. This is an important issue for tire manufacturers as they invest resources in research and development, like Nokian, a pioneer in slush planing tests, while calculating the deployment of their tires through the world. As a result, European countries need more winter tire stocks than the UK, which can lead to a shortage of winter tires at your local tire branch resulting in extra wait.
Concerns about winter tires
- Low stock in tire depots which can lead to waiting during ordering
- Higher insurance premium as insurance companies see winter tires increase a car’s value
- Winter only lasts a few months, which means a return to normal “summer” tires
Alternatives to winter tires
What if you don’t want winter tires?
- Use snow chains on your tires to help you get around – note these will need to be fitted and removed depending on conditions
- Buy snow socks for your tires that use a special material to grip the road
- By 4WD car or Land Rover style vehicle
- Let the air fall on the tires to increase the surface
- Continue as usual or stay inside
- Buy a new set of car tires that will have more tread and provide better grip than old tires
Some of them may not be the best and most suitable alternatives to winter tires, but we would like to point out a few special issues:
Winter tires – Composed of rubber or deeper tread?
One of the advantages of a winter tire is the rubber compound it is made of. It prevents it from hardening in extreme cold conditions. This is often highlighted as a key point in the benefit of a winter tire – read a winter tire review to find out more. However, remember that winter tires have more grooves which are also deeper – they allow the tire to bite into the snow and keep moving forward.
Buy new tires for better grip
A sure-fire way to increase a car’s grip on the road is to put new tires on it. The new tire set will have a deeper groove and will be able to grip the road better. So check your existing tires and if they are worn buy a new set of tires for your car and make sure you have enough tread depth to maintain control of your vehicle.
The 3mm tread campaign found the following:
Research has shown that tires with a 3mm tread performed 25% better than 1.6mm in wet conditions. In terms of braking distance, that’s an additional 8 meters (25 feet). In a test, where a new tire with a tread depth of 8mm was compared to a tire of just 1.6mm, the braking distance increased by 13 meters (42.25 feet).
This shows a significant decrease in stopping distances when using a new tire compared to a worn tire. If you’re not convinced or have trouble finding winter tires, purchase a new set of car tires from a local tire store for the benefits of increased tread depth.
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