Why Is It Important to Have Winter Tires?

Anyone who’s ever spent time in Indiana during the colder months of the year understands that the first few weeks are just the trial period. Real winter in the Midwest doesn’t begin in earnest until the first weeks of January. Those are the weeks when the temperature drops near zero, the infamous winter winds grow in ferocity and the roads become genuinely treacherous. If you’ve managed to escape issues so far this winter without preparing your car or truck, you’ve gotten off lucky.

Are you wondering how winter tires are different? Read on to find out more about these tires for safe driving in New Palestine, IN this season.

What makes winter tires different?

You’ve likely been warned more than once to switch to winter tires when fall begins to give way to winter. Maybe you even ignored the advice because, honestly, how big of a difference could there be between summer and winter tires? As it turns out, quite a lot.

Extra-grip rubber

During cold weather, the rubber on summer tires gets stiffer. As a result, it’s unable to grip the road as effectively. Winter tires, meanwhile, are made from a type of rubber that is designed to stay soft even in the coldest temperatures. That extra suppleness allows winter tires to remain flexible and adapt to road conditions.

Stop when you mean to stop

Are winter tires needed? Try stepping on the brakes on an icy road in New Palestine, IN and find out. When the conditions are unfavorable, a car with summer tires takes three times longer to stop than a car prepped with winter tires. When you need to slow down in a hurry, that’s no small distance.

Go for the deep treads

The treads on your tires are designed to funnel debris away from your tires and back onto the road. Winter tire treads are much deeper than summer tire treads to handle the increased volume of dirt and mud, plus the added snow and ice.

Love your grooves

Winter tire treads also go the extra step of adding a light zigzag pattern to the tread. This layer of protection gives winter tires the ability to bite the road even when there’s little traction to be found.

Your tire expert

Are winter tires needed in New Palestine, IN? You bet they are, and there’s no better place to find them than at Auto Air & Heating, Inc. For more than 35 years, we’ve offered a huge array of services that are just a cut above the rest of the competition.

We specialize in auto air and heating services, but we’re much more than that. In addition to a massive selection of new tires, we also offer an array of preventative maintenance services like wheel alignments, brake work, fleet work and so much more. You can count on our friendly, knowledgeable team to provide the area’s most comprehensive care regardless of your needs. Give us a call to schedule an appointment today. We can’t wait to see you.

Categorised in: Tires

This post was written by Writer