Has the onset of winters got you thinking about winter tyres? Every car owner and driver in the UK should own at least one pair of winter tyres. With winters fast approaching, you need to start preparing for them in advance, including an investment in winter tyres Sunderland. Losing vehicle control, slipping, and toppling over, are common experiences you will hear on the news in the months of winter. Besides, the freezing temperatures, fog, and icy wet roads become dangerously risky for drivers. Such situations can turn into life-threatening conditions, not just for you and your loved ones, but also for others on the road. Ultimately, it becomes your responsibility to ensure your and others’ safety on the road. Making your car winter-proof could easily turn overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can protect yourself easily in the winter months. With our article, you will get to learn the importance of choosing winter tyres and other preparations you need to make for your next winter ride.
Importance of choosing winter tyres.
Your car tyres Sunderland play a vital role in maintaining your safety on the road. But, your tyre choice should be based on your requirements, especially the prevalent winter conditions. For winter months, choosing winter tyres offer the following benefits:
Flexibility: One of the key parameters you should consider while buying tyres is their flexibility, and therefore the materials they are made of. Tyres that are made of hard rubber compounds do not offer the necessary grip required for your vehicle to be stable on icy roads. Such tyres also harden with the increasing temperatures, causing more loss of grip. On the other hand, winter tyres are made of soft rubber compounds with an increased percentage of natural rubber. This increases their flexibility and enables them to keep it intact even in frigid temperatures. The more flexible your tyres are, the more time they stay in contact with the surface, increasing the interlocking grip and enhancing your vehicle’s stability even on smooth, icy roads.
Increased Traction: Your tyres’ traction, while driving, is what holds the ground without sliding. Driving on snowy, slippery roads naturally requires more traction for your vehicle to be stable. Winter tyres achieve enhanced traction on wet surfaces or on ice and snow by possessing unique tread patterns and grooves that allow them to effectively drain the snow or water. Deeper tread patterns also help in increasing tyre traction. These features, when combined, contribute to optimal vehicle stability while turning or cornering on wet, snowy roads.
Unique Tread Patterns: A winter tyre’s tread patterns are designed uniquely to increase vehicle handling on slippery surfaces. Typically, your tyres Sunderland are made of four major parts: the tread blocks, which are the raised rubber sections in direct contact with the surface; the grooves that are constructed around the circumference of the tyres to disperse water; the ribs around the circumference to improve steering control; and lastly, the sipes that provide traction. Generally all tyres have these patterns, but winter tyres possess wider and deeper tread grooves that disperse more snow compared to other tyres and provide additional grip on smooth surfaces. Besides this, winter tyres have a higher density of sipes to enhance brake performance and safety on snow-covered roads.
Prevention from Hydroplaning: Hydroplaning is the effect of your tyre’s loss of contact with the road surface. It often happens when you are driving on a wet surface, and the chances of hydroplaning increase many fold on snow-covered surfaces. Hydroplaning leads to loss of vehicle control and is a major safety hazard. So, how do winter tyres prevent hydroplaning? Winter tyres are designed with additional slots and sipes that offer exceptional traction on snowy and wet roads, as compared to other tyres. This prevents your tyres from losing contact with the road surface and therefore avoids hydroplaning and the mishaps that follow.
What more should you prepare before the winter months?
Besides winter tyres, follow this checklist for other major precautions you should take for a safer and convenient winter journeys:
Fuel: With frequent snowfall and other hindrances during the winter season, heavy traffic leads to repeated start-and-stop conditions. This requires your vehicle to consume more fuel compared to usual weather conditions. So, before the winter season sets in, check your vehicle for sufficient fuel.
Battery: Winters can be a nuisance for your car batteries. The lower the temperature, the harder it is for your batteries to turn over the engine. This ends up causing more strain, especially if your batteries are not new, and are slightly worn out. Hence, it is essential that you recharge your batteries or replace them with new ones before the winter months.
Antifreeze: An essential component for your automobile’s engine is the antifreeze. Especially in winters, the water in your engine’s cooling system can be frozen, causing malfunctions and breakdowns. Antifreeze prevents such situations from occurring. You also need to regularly maintain the antifreeze to keep it effective.
Lights and indicators: Driving during winters has many hindrances. The fog and snow reduces the visibility considerably. Since the winter months have longer nights, exterior lights and indicators become essential. Servicing them on time will prevent any risks of accidents or other mishaps.
Screen Wash: Topping up your screen wash goes a long way in making your drives easier during winters. Dirt and ice settle easily on your windscreen, reducing your visibility, and even leading to a frozen windscreen. This makes your screen wash vital. However, the -15 degree temperatures could freeze the screen wash too. Hence, you also need to top up your screen wash with products that remain effective even in freezing conditions.
If you are looking for genuine and safe winter tyres Sunderland, visit our centre to select from a wide variety of brands available for winter tyres.