WINTER TYRES - WHY FIT THEM?

Most think winter tyres are only good for the occasions when the roads are covered with snow and ice but modern tyre development has meant that the latest products are a whole lot more versatile

In many other European countries it is a common practice for drivers to fit cold weather tyres in late Autumn and revert back to Summer tyres in the late Spring. So why is this not the case in the UK?

Ask any British driver about cold weather tyres and their answer is likely to relate in some way to snow or ice-covered roads. Ask a British driver how often they encounter snow or ice and the answer is likely to range from very infrequently to occasionally, depending upon where they are located in the British Isles. Recent prolonged bad winter weather coupled with significant advances in tyre technology has started to change the UK motorists' attitudes towards winter tyres.

The perception that winter tyres only give benefits on snow or ice is years out of date as modern rubber compound technology and advances in tread pattern design mean the modern day winter tyre also provides higher levels of road safety on cold and damp road surfaces too. Much progress has been made over the last twenty-five years and tyre technology is now at a very advanced level. New vehicle concepts, combined with tyres ideally adapted to requirements, have made driving noticeably safer today. The benefits are persuasive - substantially increased mileage performance, less weight, reduced rolling resistance and considerably shorter braking distances on both wet and dry roads all speak for themselv...