It can be said that for seasonal winter driving safety that nothing but nothing come a cold northern Alberta winter time drive hugs the road like true winter “snow tires”. Yet all said most car, truck and even crossover SUV owners may think that the “all-season” factory equipped vehicle tires are just as good. Believe me my friend this is not the case. Hence when the mercury plunges on the thermometer its appropriate to wonder if your tires will keep you on the street or highway come January and February winter cold and blizzards. Yet all in all is it good economy overall , as well as best for road-safety practices to splurge for those winter-tires or are those standard all-seasons radial tyres good enough to “get you by:” ? Its you call – as your tires roll.
Snow Tires Have Different Makeup & Construction Than All-Season & Summer Tyres:
Yet tire safety industry experts can tell you that when the tire-rubber actually meets the road surface there are huge differences in tire makeup and construction. All of these vehicle-units it seems are not the same. Winter tires, which typically are branded with the “mountain & snowflake” industry branding, are made of softer compounds and materials that retain good functional elasticity down to bone-chilling – 40 degree Celsius temps (equivalent to the same value in Fahrenheit that is minus 40 degrees F).
Modern Winter Snow-Tires Are High Tech – Tread Layouts & Materials Can Reduce Safety Stopping Distances on Ice & Snow by a Full 50%:
High-tech modern snowtire of 2012 have any of a number of advanced high-tech functional features to aid in reduced stopping distances, better handling and overall safer cold winter seasonal driving practices. Advanced technologies of scientifically tested winter snow “tread-designs” aid in the mix. As a result you can count on your rolling stock to take larger and larger bites of snow – chomping away at road snowfall, as well as ice-surfaces and ice-ruts. You can include to the technical tricks of winter- versus all-season tyres that these tread layouts will channel away ice as well as water. As a result you and your family can count on stopping distances in emergencies being reduced to half ( 50%) of what you might expect had you run on the run of the mill all-season radials.
Below 7 Degrees C All Season Radials Harden Up – Cold Seasons Require True Winter Snow Tires on Board Your Vehicle:
All-seasons may be fine for non-frigid times. Up to 7 degrees Celsius (approx 45 degrees F), they are fine. Yet when the temperatures dip below that range the rubber will actually begin to harden. Hard rubber , as most drivers know, will not only give you a harsh bumpy ride but also not be flexible enough to mold and grip well to road surfaces. Hence for the safety of your family its wise to consider a second set of tires come colder winter seasons. This is especially true if you reside in the northern U.S. states or Canadian provinces and territories with cold winter times. Include in this the prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the YUKON & N.W.T and especially northern Alberta – Edmonton and Fort McMurray included. Remember in the end running a vehicle is all about proper maintenance and reliable transportation.
Attached Images:
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
- License: Creative Commons image source
Sherwood Park
Sherwood is a “car & truck body guy” from way back – even before he got his first Province of Alberta driver’s license way back in the 1980?s. Still you can spot Park’s distinctive voice speaking with authority expounding his views on car regarding” the staggering economic growth of Alberta all the way from the big oil strike at Leduc number 1. Alberta it seems to him is not only the land of Weber fuel injection & Fort McMurray but also of prosperity. No doubt if you attend any of the Edmonton area donut shops you can hear him out, expounding and pontificating his views. Will Obama ok the Keystone Oil Pipeline or not is currently one of his favorite topics. You have enough trouble in life – he will note. Why risk having a roadside emergency or auto collision – only because you were too cheap or lazy to invest in a proper set of winter ice radials for motoring January seasonal northern Alberta ice ruts while driving. A real bargain he points out – false economy. Pay now or have needless roadside aggregation later. Spring for the upgrade he notes. It’s a fact of life of living and driving in cold Canadian climates.