Are snow tires worth it?
Brace yourselves; Winter is coming! And it comes with hours of chill and snow shoveling. Switching tires is another task that comes with the arrival of the cold season.
But are winter tires essential? Good tires are crucial to road safety, and if you live in places that snow, you’ve likely wondered whether winter tires are necessary. These professional tips will help you determine.
Tire experts like George Iny, who heads the Automobile Protection Agency (APA), a consumer advocacy group, say that if there’s snow and ice on the road for most of the season, you need winter tires. The benefits of having winter tires make the added cost and effort worth it. Numerous winter tire tests show a massive gap between snow tires and all-season tires when freezing temperatures come into the picture.
While driving in a snowstorm or extreme snow conditions, you will be surprised at how out of control the car feels when it has no winter tires. It would feel like driving a car wearing skates-except the vehicle has no knowledge of how to skate, which is potentially very dangerous. More importantly, turning a corner and braking in snowy or icy situations is a much safer bet with winter tires.
Studies show that from 2014 to 2021, 16 percent of all crash fatalities and 22 percent of all crashes were directly related to rain, fog, ice, and snow climates. So when driving, particularly in lousy weather, reliable snow tires are critical; they provide traction to safely handle any condition you’re driving through. If you live in an area where it snows, it is highly recommended to buy winter tires.
Made of softer rubber, winter tires stay flexible even in freezing temperatures, allowing for better traction in snow and ice and on cold, dry pavement, according to the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). On the other hand, the rubber on all-season tires hardens temperature hits below 7 degrees Celsius, which creates hazardous concerns.
When’s the best time to buy winter tires?
The best time to buy snow tires is as soon as the temperature drops low- and it’s not just a matter of security. While many tire manufacturers offer rebates to purchase winter tires, these typically expire at the end of December.
Postponing your winter-tire shopping also raises the chance you’ll experience shortages, and you won’t be able to buy the best winter tires in Canada that you want.
