Should I Drive Summer Tires in Winter Weather?

summer tires in winter

Only 25 percent of people make proper preparations for driving in winter weather. This means that most people in the U.S. aren’t driving with the right tires on their vehicles during winter.

Using the wrong tires for the season can make or break your driving experience. Continue reading to learn why using summer tires in winter weather is a bad idea.

Summer Tires in Winter

It is not a good idea to drive with summer tires on your vehicles when the roads are snow-covered or icy. Winter calls for a specific type of tire depending on how much snow and ice you get in your area.

Summer tires are best for warm weather. A few things happen when they get too cold. Summer tires use a different rubber that tends to harden in colder temperatures. This causes tires to lose traction on the road.

When you use your summer tires in winter weather, they become prone to cracking and chipping. Winter shortens the tire’s durability in the long run. This will cause them to need replacing sooner than they would usually need to be.

Using the wrong kind of tires for winter weather can cause issues that lead to car accidents.

Make sure you select the best tires when driving in winter weather conditions. Check out the top wheel brands we have for your truck.

The Better Alternatives

While summer tires aren’t the best use for winter weather, you don’t need to worry. There are a few different types of tires that make driving in winter safer for you.

All-season Tires

All-season tires are great for areas that have milder winters. They aren’t the best option for harsher conditions with a lot of snow and ice.

These tires can operate on either wet or dry roads. They can even handle a light dusting of snow. All-season tires can’t beat winter tires when it comes to roads covered in heavy snow and ice.

All-season tires can help you save some money when you don’t have to change out your tires at the end of every season.

Winter Tires

Winter tires are an even better alternative to using the previous tire types in winter. The entire purpose of winter tires is their ability to handle ice and snow.

Winter tires use a type of rubber that keeps most of its elasticity in colder weather. Summer tires don’t have this ability. Winter tires also have deeper tread patterns and sipes that maximize traction.

Summer Tires Are Best for Warm Weather

It isn’t a good idea to drive summer tires in winter. Your best bet is to keep a set of winter tires handy for the colder weather. It’s best to only use your summer tires during warmer weather.

We can get you set up with your next set of tires today.

What’s Next?

Now that you know why you shouldn’t use summer tires in winter weather, you can make better tire decisions.

Contact us today to buy your next set of tires.