We should remember, that winter tyres at this time of the year mean less accidents. Driving a car with winter tyres in such weather is less risky than with summer ones. Do not let the winter surprise you. Potential accident caused by a longer breaking distance will be more expensive than a set of decent winter tyres.
Polish Tyre Industry Association recommends seasonal tyre change as one of the guarantees of safe driving. Tyres are key part of the car, the only one, that has direct contact with the road. It does not matter how strong the car is, it is the quality and performance of tyres, that safety of travellers depend on. Drivers should not wait until the first snow. In such conditions like now, even when there is no snow, winter tyre is safer solution than summer one. It will perform better on a wet road at the temperature lower than 7 degrees.
When purchasing new tyres, we should pay attention if the winter or all year ones have mountain snowflake symbol. Only then we can be sure that given tyre has a winter performance. M+S symbol is manufacturer’s information regarding tread designed for mud and snow. In cars it is both tread and special rubber compound that make the winter tyre.
Let us remind German independent statistics showing, that the risk of traffic accidents and collisions is 6 times higher in winter than in summer[1]. In addition, the braking distance of the vehicle on a wet surface with winter tyres is 20% shorter than summer tyres [2]. Also British Tyre Manufacturers Association tests showed, that car with winter tyres at a speed of 100 km/h on a wet road, at a temperature of 5°C stopped 5 meters earlier than a car with summer tyres.[3] This difference corresponds to the length of one car.
On the other hand, when travelling at just 30 km/h in icy conditions, the stopping distance can be reduced by as much as almost 11 meters compared to summer tyres, which means a distance equal to a length of 3 compact car. Snowy conditions make stopping distance reduced by 50% when travelling at 50 km/h[4].
- Only on completely dry road, at the temperature of 7 degrees, summer tyres can be compared to the winter ones. But dry days at this time of year are rather rare in our climate, so we should not take that risk – notices Piotr Sarnecki, Director General of PTIA.
When the temperature drops below 7°C, a rubber compound of summer tyre hardens. It significantly aggravates its grip and increases braking distance. This problem does not apply to winter tyres, which are made of a special compound containing more natural rubber and silica, therefore do not harden at lower temperatures. This means a better grip on a winter road and greater driving safety. Their specific, numerous patterns and sipes allow better ride on the icy road and snow.
Equally important is the tread design, because in a winter tyre it has large blocks in the shoulder area and appropriately shaped incisions, called sipes, which "bite" into the snow, ice or slush under the car pressure. Special arrangement of the grooves makes the water and slush discharged well from under the wheels.
- Poland is a country with a humid continental climate, we have hot summers, cold winters with snow and rain. In such a climate, summer tyre in winter would not work - says Piotr Sarnecki, Director General of the Polish Tyre Industry Association - When the temperature drops below 7 degrees, summer tyre grip does not work anymore, it’s where winter tyre grip starts, because it is quite different in its structure, has a different mixture. Drivers should see it. Summer tyre is made of a harder rubber compound, which has to withstand high temperatures in summer and not low ones or snow -
[1] source: ADAC, Pro-winterreifen
[2] source: Cortina. A dynamic simulation test when temperature at 5°C
[3] source: www.tyresafe.org
[4] source: ADAC Motorwelt 10/2010
Source: www.ptia.org.pl