Snow Tire Safety
Snow tires, or winter tires, have deeper treads and softer rubber than other tires. They are better at handling winter conditions than all-season tires, which can't handle slushy or heavy snow conditions, or high-performance tires, which need to be specially designed for snow.
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Installation
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All four tires should have the same tread and construction, and be the same size. Check the tread regularly; as Transports Quebec puts it, "your tires keep you on the road by biting into the snow." As the tread wears down, the tire loses its "bite."
Tire Pressure
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Transports Quebec recommends keeping all four snow tires inflated to about 2 pounds per square inch (psi) above the manufacturer's recommended psi. A deflating tire can compromise traction, and tire pressure changes as temperatures change.
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Excessive Cold
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The softer rubber of a snow tire is flexible to at least -30 degrees C (-22 degrees F); past that, the rubber begins to harden, reducing traction. It won't work as well in hotter conditions; remove the snow tires each summer.
Studded Tires
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Snow tires are available in both studded and studless forms. Studded snow tires work best in somewhat icy, near-freezing conditions; however, a 2002 report from the University of Washington found minimal differences between studded and studless tires outside of these conditions.
Restricted Roads
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In 2008, Quebec began requiring motorists to install four snow tires from Dec. 15 to March 15 yearly. Utah restricts certain highways in winter to snow-tire-equipped vehicles only.
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References
- Transports Quebec: Safety Tips
- Ontario Ministry of Transportation: Winter Tires--Right for the Season
- CBC News: Winter Tires--Helping Your Car Get a Grip
- Washington State Department of Transportation: An Overview of Studded and Studless Tire Traction and Safety (PDF)
- Automobile Protection Association: What You Need to Know About Winter Tires
Resources
- Photo Credit Neve image by McEze from Fotolia.com
