Winter Tyres
Although widely known as 'winter tyres' and associated with snow and ice, these tyres should actually be called 'cold weather' tyres. This is because they are designed to perform better when the temperature drops below 7 dgerees centigrade.
The rubber compound of a winter tyre is very different to a summer tyre. When the temperature drops, the compound on a summer tyre loses its flexibility, making it less able to grip in the lower temperature. Winter tyres are made from specially developed compound with natural rubber so they don't harden when it is cold. This results in increased grip on the road and greater safety.
A Few Winter Tyre Statistics
Braking at a low speed of 19mph, a car with winter tyres will stop 11 metres shorter than one with summer tyres. The survey also points out that in winter, 48% of UK accidents are caused by skidding
Drivers are six times more likely to have an accidentin winter
Customers should also be aware that if they drive their car in Mainland Europe, winter tyres are mandatory in many countrues