Winter is upon us and in many parts of the United States, snow will be a common sight most days. If snow isn’t there, then you can at least count on cold and slippery ice.
So, the question in many drivers’ minds is: Do I need to purchase winter tires, or will the all-season tires be enough?
All-season tires are designed to offer versatile performance and can handle some wet roads and light winter driving. However, they are not designed to function properly in heavy snow and ice conditions.
Specific features of winter tires include:
- The tread rubber compounds of winter tires are designed to channel slush and snow, and expel water.
- A winter tire has unique tread patterns and deeper tread depths. This helps reduce snow buildup and improves traction.
- The tiny slits in the winter tire provides better traction on the ice.
Whether or not you need snow tires depends on where you live and how often you drive in heavy winter conditions.
Read this article for more information regarding winter tires.