Winter is fast approaching and one common concern among Colorado drivers is driving in our winter road conditions. If you are like me, the winter months is the time that most Coloradans like to hit the slopes and that means a lot of winter driving. Winter driving can cause a number of problems for the thousands of drivers on the road. With all different kinds of driving conditions to deal with from wet roads, icy roads, snow packed, fluffy snow, black ice, to dirty and gravel filled roads, the winter driving months can be quite treacherous! The advantage of using a winter/snow tire instead of an all-season can keep you in better control and increase your level of driving safety! Below is a list of advantages that winter tires can provide according to Goodyear Tires:
- Winter tires can provide enhanced braking performance in snowy & icy conditions
- These tires perform well in all types of winter conditions – snow, ice, sleet, slush, wet and even cold dry roads
- Winter tires feature tread designs made specifically for ice, snow and other severe winter conditions
- They have specially formulated tread rubber that stays flexible at low temperatures for better vehicle control
- The aggressive tread on a winter tire reduces snow build up
- Most drivers find that winter tires provide a sense of confidence and control in challenging winter weather conditions
Notice the deeper bite pattern and the textured surface area on the snow tire which helps give better traction on snow and ice.
In comparison, all-season tires are great tires to drive in most conditions. If you are looking to be a little more economical with your money and need a tire to get you through the entire year of seasonal changes, an all-season tire is the way to go! All season tires offer versatile performance and are designed to perform in a variety of conditions including wet roads and light winter driving. All season tires are designed to offer a combination of benefits from summer and winter tires. The all-season tire is the jack-of-all trades but master of none in the tire world. It will be “good enough” to get you through most driving conditions, but will not “perform” the best in those conditions. Here are the benefits of all-season Tires:
- All-season tires are designed to help provide traction and grip in wet and snowy conditions
- They are made to help provide stable handling and even treadwear in both wet and dry conditions
- Although all-season tires offer traction in a variety of different weather conditions, winter tires surpass them when it comes to traction in snow and ice
Stapleton Motors 