Preparing Your Car for winter

People start preparing for winter even before the first snowflake falls. You buy coats and jackets to ward off the cold, you winter-proof your house and buy all the necessary things you need in case a snowstorm hits. Other than that, you also prepare your vehicle for the cold and damp drives ahead. You check on the engine for any problems, your front, rear and hazard lights if they are working properly, your heater, windshield wipers and most of all your tyres.

Summer tyres are never suitable for extreme weather conditions. They will skid in the snow and will potentially put your life in danger. You should change your tyres into all season or tyres or better yet winter tyres. For moderate climates, all season tyres work just fine. They can manage wet roads better than summer tyres. However, they can be compromising in extreme conditions. In some countries like Sweden, it is required by law to use winter tyres during winter. Winter tyres are not only for traveling on roads with wet ice or hard packed snow. Modern technology have developed a rubber compound and tread pattern designs that provide winter tyres higher levels of road safety on cold and damp surfaces. Tyres grip differently on wet or damp roads so you should get the right type of tyre to ensure safety.

Winter tyres (more about winter tires) are made of compounds that can withstand a temperature of up to -35 degrees Celsius while keeping their elasticity and grip amid the freezing temperature. When buying winter tyres, you have to make sure that you are getting the right tyre size as specified by the manufacturer in your manual. You also need to check out the sidewall of the tyres to see if it has a symbol of a snowflake on the mountains. This indicates that the tyre has met the severe winter traction standard regulation. Know the tread depth of your tyres. If you are often driving through snow and slush, you might want to get a tyre with tread depth of at least 6 inches or more.

It is strongly advised to get all four-winter tyres and not just two. This will put you at great risk of accidents. You should get all four tyres with the same brand, same size, same load index, tread pattern, and the same speed rating. If you have mismatched tyres, that will give you vehicle control issues.

When you already have your winter tyres installed, check your tyre pressure from time to time. Driving in extreme weather condition can be very challenging even to the experienced driver. Taking extra safety precautions such as getting the right winter tyres can go a long way to save up on money and ensure safety on the road. If you want to read more about car tires, simply click here.