Snow Tires Mean Safer Driving and Saving Money

It’s that time of year again - time to pay attention to the first snowfall of the winter and buy a set of winter tires for your car.If you think they’re a costly investment, think again:: they’re much less expensive than getting into a car accident would be.

Best for snow, slush and ice

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can get through winter unscathed by continuing to use your all-season tires. Winter tires are much better at getting your car through snow, slush and ice. They give you that extra traction, braking and handling that you need when driving in winter weather.

Winter tires have specialized rubber compounds and tread designs to cope with the cold weather. The tread stays flexible, preventing snow buildup and maintaining traction on ice.

Tests done on ice demonstrate that even at the slow speed of 24 km/h, vehicles with winter tires stopped from 1/2 to a full car-length sooner than the same vehicles with all-season tires. If your car isn’t equipped with winter tires, you’re more likely to fishtail in corners and spin out of control on icy patches.

If you’re concerned about the price of winter tires, then do some comparison shopping. You can go to a warehouse store, check prices on the Internet and travel across the border to the U.S. You might be able to benefit from shopping rebates offered by manufactures.

But don’t wait for the first big snowstorm of the season. You don’t want to face the premium prices that will await other motorists who left their tire-buying too late.

Four winter tires, not two

It may be tempting to save money by buying just two winter tires, but that’s a bad idea. It can cause your vehicle to spin unexpectedly because of the greater grip of the two winter tires.

When you do put on winter tires, be sure to maintain them. Keep them properly inflated so that you get the best wear. When you take them off, store them in plastic bags that are stacked horizontally.

Don’t assume that other features can offset the lack of winter tires. ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System), traction control, and vehicle dynamics control systems are limited by the grip your tires can provide.

There’s a faulty assumption among owners of SUVs and other 4WD vehicles that they provide all the safety necessary when driving on ice. Not so. A 4WD vehicle will help you get started from a full stop and will partially help you around corners, but it won’t enable you to stop or slow down more quickly.

Remember: winter tires are a motorist’s best friend in ice and snow.

For information about PRUDENT VALUE CARS, visit our web site: www.prudentvaluecars.com