If, like many UK drivers, you don\u2019t know what winter tyres are, or at best have heard of them but don\u2019t fully understand what makes them different from summer tyres, you\u2019re not likely to consider changing your tyres as the nights draw in. We hardly ever get snow in this country, right? So why should we bother switching to winter tyres?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article Kwik Fit explain what winter tyres are, how they differ from summer tyres, why switching to them when the weather gets cold not only makes sense, and how by doing so they could very well prevent you from having an accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But first, let\u2019s take a moment to set the record straight about a long-standing myth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Continental](\"https:\/\/www.asdatyres.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/winter_tyres_montage_article.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWinter tyres are not just for snow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nNot so long ago, premium tyre manufacturer Continental<\/a><\/strong> conducted a driver survey which revealed that almost half of British motorists didn\u2019t realise that winter tyres even exist, or if they had heard of them assumed that they\u2019re only required when there\u2019s persistent ice or snow has settled. In fact this assumption is simply not true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhile it’s true that winter tyres will certainly help keep you motoring in snowy conditions \u2013 a lot as it happens \u2013 the fact is that they\u2019re actually designed for all-round general driving in winter \u2013 when it\u2019s cold<\/em>. It\u2019s not really about snow, it\u2019s all about temperature. Think about it. It doesn\u2019t snow non-stop from October to March in Germany, or other northern European countries, so why do drivers there change to winter tyres?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nThe answer isn\u2019t simply because it\u2019s the law (which it is in many northern European countries), it\u2019s because winter tyres are infinitely safer than summer tyres when it\u2019s 7\u00b0C or below. This point is really important to remember about winter tyres, and many tyre industry experts \u2013 including Continental \u2013 think that these products should really be renamed \u201ccold weather tyres\u201d to get the message across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWhat’s the difference between summer and winter tyres?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nAny confusion is understandable, since to the casual observer they look very similar. In fact you can tell a summer tyre from a winter tyre by the difference in tread pattern. With winter tyres, the tread features not only wider grooves but narrow slits \u2013 sipes<\/em> \u2013 on the upper edges of the tyre. Winter tyres are also identifiable by the snowflake symbol on the sidewall. But this is only part of the story\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Snowflake](\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to what really makes winter tyres different, it\u2019s what you can\u2019t readily distinguish that matters \u2013 the make up of the rubber compound itself. With winter tyres the compound is much softer, compared to that used for summer tyres. As a result, this enables winter tyres to better grip the road when the surface is cold. It\u2019s why winter tyres work best at temperatures of 7\u00b0C and below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThese factors and more contribute to driver safety in cold weather conditions, and are the reason why Continental\u2019s WinterContact\u2122 TS 860 tyre was recently awarded the much coveted title of Winter Tyre Test Winner 2017<\/em> by leading UK car magazine, Auto Express.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Continental\u2019s WinterContact\u2122 TS 860 winter tyre<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWinter tyres mean shorter stopping distances in cold weather conditions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBecause summer tyres have harder compounds they don\u2019t work as well when it\u2019s 7\u00b0C and below, since this hardness means they\u2019re less flexible and as a result provide significantly less grip in the cold and wet. This obviously presents a problem when cornering or braking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIn cold weather conditions like this, the compounds used for winter tyres don\u2019t harden like summer tyres, so they grip the road much better, helping drivers to brake quickly and safely when they need to. And it\u2019s not just braking. Cornering in cold conditions is significantly safer too if your car\u2019s fitted with winter tyres. This allows drivers to turn accurately and reduce the possibility of skidding and drifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nAnd then there\u2019s snow to consider. Yes, we said that winter tyres are primarily cold weather tyres, true, but they\u2019re also much better at coping with the white stuff than summer tyres \u2013 and for that matter even all-season tyres. Braking distances for winter tyres versus summer tyres are halved. Think about that\u2026 halved. At 70mph on a cold, perhaps fog-laden motorway, a shorter stopping distance could be the difference between having and avoiding an accident, or worse\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not just car drivers that can benefit from winter tyres<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nWinter tyres aren\u2019t just for ordinary cars. Tyre manufacturers like Continental make winter tyres for a wide variety of vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nWinter tyres for 4x4s, SUVs and Crossovers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n4x4s, SUVs and Crossovers typically have better traction than ordinary cars, and this is borne out in snow and on ice. As a result, people that drive these vehicles could be forgiven for thinking they don\u2019t require winter tyres. If you drive one of these vehicles, you\u2019ll certainly fare better than most other ordinary car drivers when it comes to getting started and driving in a straight line. This added traction may even help you with an incline or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBut when it comes to taking a corner, and braking, that advantage comes to an end. Why? Because the usual summer tyres will struggle to grip the surface, compared to winter tyres. At the end of the day, switching to winter tyres is the safest choice, even if you drive a 4×4, SUV or Crossover. If you drive one of these vehicles you could consider Continental winter tyres, like the Conti4x4WinterContact, or new WinterContact\u2122 TS 860 S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nThey make winter tyres for vans and trucks too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nDriver safety is of paramount and the driving force behind this article, but \u2013 while it\u2019s also a huge factor when it comes to light commercial vehicles too \u2013 there\u2019s something else to consider: productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nNo matter if you\u2019re self-employed or run a small, medium or large enterprise, if your business depends on mobility during the cold weather months, winter tyres will help keep you on the road. You shouldn\u2019t underestimate the contribution that winter tyres can make to the success or failure of UK businesses during the cold period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nIf you drive a van or light truck, you could consider Continental winter tyres, like the VanContact Winter or Vanco\u2122 Winter 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\nBaby it\u2019s cold outside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Not so long ago, premium tyre manufacturer Continental<\/a><\/strong> conducted a driver survey which revealed that almost half of British motorists didn\u2019t realise that winter tyres even exist, or if they had heard of them assumed that they\u2019re only required when there\u2019s persistent ice or snow has settled. In fact this assumption is simply not true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it’s true that winter tyres will certainly help keep you motoring in snowy conditions \u2013 a lot as it happens \u2013 the fact is that they\u2019re actually designed for all-round general driving in winter \u2013 when it\u2019s cold<\/em>. It\u2019s not really about snow, it\u2019s all about temperature. Think about it. It doesn\u2019t snow non-stop from October to March in Germany, or other northern European countries, so why do drivers there change to winter tyres?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer isn\u2019t simply because it\u2019s the law (which it is in many northern European countries), it\u2019s because winter tyres are infinitely safer than summer tyres when it\u2019s 7\u00b0C or below. This point is really important to remember about winter tyres, and many tyre industry experts \u2013 including Continental \u2013 think that these products should really be renamed \u201ccold weather tyres\u201d to get the message across.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Any confusion is understandable, since to the casual observer they look very similar. In fact you can tell a summer tyre from a winter tyre by the difference in tread pattern. With winter tyres, the tread features not only wider grooves but narrow slits \u2013 sipes<\/em> \u2013 on the upper edges of the tyre. Winter tyres are also identifiable by the snowflake symbol on the sidewall. But this is only part of the story\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to what really makes winter tyres different, it\u2019s what you can\u2019t readily distinguish that matters \u2013 the make up of the rubber compound itself. With winter tyres the compound is much softer, compared to that used for summer tyres. As a result, this enables winter tyres to better grip the road when the surface is cold. It\u2019s why winter tyres work best at temperatures of 7\u00b0C and below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These factors and more contribute to driver safety in cold weather conditions, and are the reason why Continental\u2019s WinterContact\u2122 TS 860 tyre was recently awarded the much coveted title of Winter Tyre Test Winner 2017<\/em> by leading UK car magazine, Auto Express.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because summer tyres have harder compounds they don\u2019t work as well when it\u2019s 7\u00b0C and below, since this hardness means they\u2019re less flexible and as a result provide significantly less grip in the cold and wet. This obviously presents a problem when cornering or braking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In cold weather conditions like this, the compounds used for winter tyres don\u2019t harden like summer tyres, so they grip the road much better, helping drivers to brake quickly and safely when they need to. And it\u2019s not just braking. Cornering in cold conditions is significantly safer too if your car\u2019s fitted with winter tyres. This allows drivers to turn accurately and reduce the possibility of skidding and drifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then there\u2019s snow to consider. Yes, we said that winter tyres are primarily cold weather tyres, true, but they\u2019re also much better at coping with the white stuff than summer tyres \u2013 and for that matter even all-season tyres. Braking distances for winter tyres versus summer tyres are halved. Think about that\u2026 halved. At 70mph on a cold, perhaps fog-laden motorway, a shorter stopping distance could be the difference between having and avoiding an accident, or worse\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Winter tyres aren\u2019t just for ordinary cars. Tyre manufacturers like Continental make winter tyres for a wide variety of vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4x4s, SUVs and Crossovers typically have better traction than ordinary cars, and this is borne out in snow and on ice. As a result, people that drive these vehicles could be forgiven for thinking they don\u2019t require winter tyres. If you drive one of these vehicles, you\u2019ll certainly fare better than most other ordinary car drivers when it comes to getting started and driving in a straight line. This added traction may even help you with an incline or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But when it comes to taking a corner, and braking, that advantage comes to an end. Why? Because the usual summer tyres will struggle to grip the surface, compared to winter tyres. At the end of the day, switching to winter tyres is the safest choice, even if you drive a 4×4, SUV or Crossover. If you drive one of these vehicles you could consider Continental winter tyres, like the Conti4x4WinterContact, or new WinterContact\u2122 TS 860 S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Driver safety is of paramount and the driving force behind this article, but \u2013 while it\u2019s also a huge factor when it comes to light commercial vehicles too \u2013 there\u2019s something else to consider: productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter if you\u2019re self-employed or run a small, medium or large enterprise, if your business depends on mobility during the cold weather months, winter tyres will help keep you on the road. You shouldn\u2019t underestimate the contribution that winter tyres can make to the success or failure of UK businesses during the cold period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you drive a van or light truck, you could consider Continental winter tyres, like the VanContact Winter or Vanco\u2122 Winter 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat’s the difference between summer and winter tyres?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Winter tyres mean shorter stopping distances in cold weather conditions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not just car drivers that can benefit from winter tyres<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Winter tyres for 4x4s, SUVs and Crossovers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
They make winter tyres for vans and trucks too<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Baby it\u2019s cold outside<\/h2>\n\n\n\n