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Snow tires can help improve a car’s safety and maneuverability in winter weather.

Photo via minit-tune.com

Snow tires help navigate winter weather

By Samuel Cheng

Published 11:10 PST, Fri December 23, 2022

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Richmond has already seen its first several snowfalls and driving in the snow can be both tricky and dangerous. Having the right set of tires for your car can significantly improve its safety and maneuverability in snowy weather.

Car tires can be categorized into three main types: winter tires, summer tires, and all-season tires.

Winter tires, or snow tires, are made with a special kind of rubber that is designed to stay soft and pliable in cold temperatures. Unlike all-season tires or summer tires where the rubber hardens below seven degrees Celsius, the rubber of winter tires stays flexible, offering better traction on snowy and icy roads.

Additionally, winter tires have deeper tread and unique tread patterns that help expel water, snow, and slush. Special biting edges improve winter tires’ grip in snow and ice.

However, winter tires wear out much faster in hotter temperatures, so it is recommended that people swap to all-season or summer tires during warmer seasons.

Summer tires, also known as performance tires, shine in hotter temperatures. They offer drivers more confidence through precise handling and control. These tires are commonly found on sports cars and luxury SUVs, and are the go-to tires for spirited drivers and racers.

But summer tires have less groove compared to winter or all-season tires, which translates to lower mileage and durability in comparison. And given their name, summer tires are not ideal for colder weather.

All-season tires provide adequate grip and traction for a wide range of weather conditions and temperatures. They can drive in sunny and rainy conditions, and even light snow.

All-season tires can be described as a jack of all trades, master of none. They do not offer as much performance as summer tires, and do not perform well in deep snow or on very icy roads. Nonetheless, their versatile performance is loved by daily drivers and commuters.

Richmond, similar to other cities across the Lower Mainland, does not get as much snow as other Canadian cities like Edmonton or Montreal. But it is still important for drivers to understand how to safely navigate through the snow.

When travelling in snowy weather, first think about how confident you are driving in a snowstorm or icy rain. If you are uncomfortable driving in harsh weather conditions, wait until conditions improve.

When driving, do not slam on the brakes; instead, lightly tap on the brakes to gradually slow down. On icy roads, braking hard will cause a car to lock its wheels and propel the car out of control.

Keeping more distance between your car and the car in front of you is a good idea, as it will provide more reaction time and a longer stopping distance for your vehicle. Staying on main roads will help significantly as snow plows and salt trucks frequent areas with the highest amount of traffic.

Driving slower and avoiding uphill stretches can be crucial as well. Avoid panicking and try to remain calm if your vehicle does skid or slide out of control.

Equipping a car with winter tires will provide help to both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles. It is a good idea to allow more time to get places and avoid rushing in snowy weather.

To check the age of your tires, look on the sidewall of the rubber, where a four-digit number will be imprinted. The first two digits indicate the week that the tire was manufactured in, and the last two digits indicate the year. For example, a tire marked 2917 was manufactured in the 29th week of 2017.