What do winter tyres do?
Winter tyres are not just designed for ice and snow, theyre also useful in wet and slippery conditions. Winter tyres improve grip and traction on slippery road surfaces. This reduces the chances of skidding or losing control of the car in bad weather and can reduce the stopping distance of a car, which can be up to ten times longer in icy conditions on normal tyres. In a test by Tyre Safe, a car driving at 20mph with winter tyres stopped 11 metres sooner than a car travelling at the same speed with normal tyres. They can also reduce the risk of a car aquaplaning in wet conditions. This occurs when a layer of water on the road causes the wheels to lose traction. Despite the softer rubber, winter tyres shouldnt wear quicker than standard tyres either.