Winter driving: when should you replace your tyres?

 

Knowing when to replace your winter tyres is vital for your business. If done right, you can ensure your vehicles always have reliable safety, traction and grip, whatever the winter conditions may throw at you. But what is the optimal time to replace your tyres?

Here we’ve compiled information on winter driving and advice on tyres so you can keep your vehicles safe on the road.

Winter driving conditions

Driving in icy and snowy conditions can be dangerous. Steering, acceleration and braking are more difficult as normal tyres have less grip in these conditions. But did you know that even cold, damp roads can dramatically affect the performance of tyres, leading to an increased accident risk?

According to Brake, stopping distances can almost double on wet roads and increase up to 10 times in icy or snowy conditions. That’s why it’s important to know what tyres are best suited in these conditions and when you should think about replacing them.

Tyre types explained

Winter tyre: Also knows as “cold weather” tyres, winter tyres have a different tread pattern than normal tyres. The combination of wider grooves and narrow slits at the edges of the tread area help give better grip on snow and ice, reducing stopping distances and skidding in cold weather.

Summer tyre: With their relatively hard compound that soften off in mild temperatures, summer tyres provide lots of grip. But when temperatures drop, they’re too hard and can’t provide enough grip, whereas winter tyres stay soft and grippy well below zero.

All-season tyre: The all-season tyre combines the characteristics of both summer and winter products so you can be prepared for sudden cold spells. While often referred as the “jack of all trades” inevitably, they’re the “master of none” meaning they are limited in performance.

So what’s the optimal time to change? Michelin recommends following their ‘golden rule’: when the temperature drops below 7°C, it is time to change for winter tyres.

Of course, this all depends on how much of the season you’ll spend driving below 7°C. For motorists who live or work in high altitude or remote areas or those that know they’ll be below that temperature for most of the winter, then buying a separate set of winter tyres would be the optimum solution.Between October and April is when there tends to be a seasonal temperature drop in the UK. Therefore, it’s a good indicator of when to change from summer to winter tyres.

There’s been a hot debate for some time on whether we really need winter tyres in the UK. There is currently no legal requirement to fit winter tyres in the UK, simply because we rarely experience harsh winters. With our mild winters and frankly poor attempts at summer, could the all-season tyre be best suited?

While all-season tyres may be better at handling cold temperatures than summer tyres (and vice versa) it isn’t as good as keeping two specialist tyres and switching between them from season to season.  

Also, the view that winter tyres only give benefits on snow or ice is years out of date. Today, rubber compound technology and advances in tread pattern design mean that winter tyres can also provide higher levels of road safety on cold and damp road surfaces too.

Having said this, it is not recommended to leave winter tyres on all year. Above 7°C, the softer compound will increase stopping distances and risk of skidding on corners. Tyres wear down more quickly in higher temperatures, so it means you’ll have to replace your tyres more frequently.

Tyre checks

One of the best ways to increase road safety is to look after your tyres, checking tread and pressure on a regular basis - Kwik Fit recommends checks every 2 weeks. Winter’s harsh weather conditions can cause damage to roads. Loose gravel, road salt and potholes can all take their toll on tyres, and regular check-ups can minimise van downtime.

UK law requires a minimum tyre tread of 1.6mm across the central 3/4 of the tyre, around its entire circumference. However, the AA recommend at least 3mm for winter motoring.

Top tip: TyreSafe has developed the “20p test” for a simple way to test your tyres’ tread depth. By placing a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre you can check if you meet the legal limit. If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit. If however the outer band of the coin is visible, then your tyres may be illegal and unsafe and should be checked immediately.

Our advice

To summarise, winter certified tyres should be fitted as soon as the temperature falls consistently below 7°C - don’t wait to be stuck in a snowstorm to fit them! As much as the weather in the UK is not considered to be extreme, drivers have been known to be caught short in harsh conditions and while it’s not compulsory, the rules are different in some European countries.

Winter tyres are often slightly more expensive than summer tyres, and drivers are often put off by the significant expense of having an extra set, but it does mean your tyres will last twice as long since you’ll take your load off one set for half the year.

Remember that choosing the right tyres for your vehicle at the right time will not only keep you or your drivers safe on the road, it’ll also help increase fuel efficiency.

Discover more helpful tips on steering clear of trouble this winter, and learn just how important it is to stay alert behind the wheel with our 8 tips for winter driving >

Keep your fleet safe on the roads this winter

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