Ottawa Tires

Posts Tagged ‘Road’

Winter driving can be treacherous, even on cloudless days with no snow in sight. Black ice can become blended in with the asphalt, creating a huge risk and danger to those who are driving. So before you take your car out on the road, here are a few tips you should always keep in mind when driving in winter conditions.

1 – Always prepare your car. Know what weather conditions you’ll be facing once you hit the road. Make sure your car is properly fitted with snow tires and tire chains if necessary. Make sure your fuel tank is full, your wipers are ready, your battery charged, and that you have no leaks.

2 – Take supplies with you. You never know what the road can bring you. It’s a good idea to have a winter emergency kit on hand just in case of anything happens. Make sure you always carry a phone with you, along with a charger, in case of emergency. Keep some non-perishable food with you along with water. You should even take an extra set of clothes and a blanket. Even if you don’t plan on driving out of the city, emergencies can happen everywhere.

3 – Clean the snow and ice off of your car. Clean off the whole windshield, your hood and the top of your car. Don’t forget to clear your headlights and rear lights. By doing all of this, it creates a safer environment for yourself as a driver, and for other drivers on the road.

4 – Drive slow and steady. Avoid sharp turns or quick stops. Give yourself double the room between cars, as you would during normal weather. If you do start to slide, don’t panic, hit the brakes or jerk your wheel. Turn the wheel steadily in the opposite direction that you’re sliding. Slowly press on the brakes. If you don’t have anti-lock brakes, press on the brake pedal gently, let up, and press again until you come to a stop. For those with anti-lock brakes, simply press the brake pedal gently until your car stops.

5 – Don’t use cruise control. You need to be in control of your car at all times. If you are going over an overpass or a bridge, be aware that these areas are more incline to be icy.

6 – Use low-beam headlights when driving, because they make you more visible to other drivers from both the front and the rear.

7 – If you have rear-wheel drive, weigh down the rear with sandbags to give you more traction.

This is the third in a series of articles containing useful pointers for coping with frost, ice, and snow while you travel by vehicle. The correct tires can make the difference between an enjoyable trip and a hefty towing or hospital bill.1. Summer tread tires are not meant for icy or snowy conditions.

When the temperature dips, so does the traction capability of summer tires. The material used in the manufacturing process loses elasticity and grip as it gets colder. This means that summer tires do not perform as well in freezing temperatures, even on dry roads.2. All-season tires work well in some areas.

If you only experience an occasional mild snowstorm, you might be happy with all-season tires. However, they don’t perform as well as good winter tires. Their composition and tread is a compromise that provides decent handling and traction in a variety of conditions. Busy drivers who don’t have the time to change their tires twice a year will often swear by all-seasons.3. Real winters demand real winter tires.

If you have ever been stuck in a snow bank, you appreciate how much time and inconvenience it requires to get a tow. A car that slides into a snow bank can just as easily careen into oncoming traffic, over an embankment, or into a pedestrian. For safety’s sake, a change to winter tires is a good investment.4. Choosing the correct tire requires some forethought.

There are various types of winter tires. Analyze your driving patterns (fast? slow? heavy on the brakes?), travel routes (uphill and downhill grades? tight curves? gravel vs. pavement?), and other factors that might affect tire performance and needs.

a) Performance Winter Tires

Performance winter tires are responsive on dry winter roads – but their traction is not as good on ice and snow as some other types of tires. The treads tend to be a bit soft; these tires should always be changed in the spring in order to preserve tread life.

b) Snow and Ice Studless Tires

These tires will give better traction than performance winters, but the handling will not be quite as responsive.

c) Winter Studded Tires

These are good-quality winter-tread tires embedded with 60-120 small metal studs per tire. The studs, composed of a very hard metal like tungsten carbide, protrude slightly above the tread surface. This provides superior traction on ice and snow. However, studs also dig into pavement – and they are banned in some areas. If you plan a long trip, be sure to check the regulations regarding studded tires along your route.5. A tire professional can help you to sift through the choices.

Nothing can replace competent advice from a good tire technician. However before you pick a tire shop, consider the following:

a) Does the tire business have a good reputation – or does a check with the local merchants’ association or Better Business Bureau reveal a number of consumer complaints?

b) Do you know of anyone who has used the shop and can provide first-hand recommendations?

c) Are the tire shop’s certifications, licenses, and permits prominently displayed where customers can see them?

d) Are the service people properly certified? And are they experienced?

e) Will the shop honor your vehicle warranty?

f) Do the shop technicians have experience with vehicles of your model and year?

Inventors and manufacturers are continually trying to design the ‘perfect tire’. An online search for ‘tire patent’ will bring up over 1 million pages in Google. Who knows – maybe the perfect tire will be on the shelves next year! In the meantime, do your research, and get the most suitable tire for your driving style and weather conditions.

©Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author’s note below (with active links) are included.