All About Winter Tire Care: Tips for Safety

Precious cargo is literally riding on your tires.

It’s no secret that winter can be a dangerous time to be on the roads and your tires can play a big role in your safety.

Keep yourself and your passengers safe this season.

Here’s how you should be caring for your tires during the coldest months of the year.

Check the tire pressure frequently

The freezing cold temperatures cause your tire pressure to drop – sometimes dramatically.

When the pressure is off, your tires won’t wear evenly and they are more likely to not grip the road as effectively as they should.

For example, hitting the brakes when your tire pressure is too low can keep your car from stopping readily.

A good rule of thumb is to check your tire pressure each time you fill up your gas tank, at least through the winter months.

Consider winter tires

If you live in an area that receives a lot of snow and ice, swapping your regular tires out for winter ones may be your best bet.

They’re made with a denser thread pattern that grips the road better, especially in icy conditions.

The rubber they’re manufactured with is also formulated to remain rigid at cold temperatures, reducing the loss of pressure.

If you decide to go with winter tires, make sure you switch back to your regular tires as soon as winter ends. This will extend the life of both sets of tires.

Inspect the tread

If you choose to stick with your regular tires throughout the winter, it’s important that you keep your eye on the wear.

Tires that are worn and don’t have an adequate tread depth are much more likely to skid and slide on snowy, icy, and even wet roads.

It’s best to check the tread before bad weather hits, but you need to be aware all season-long.

You can use the penny trick.

Place a penny – head-side down – in the tread. If you can see Abe’s head, it’s time to replace your tires.

Make sure to check the area near the rims, too, for bulges or other obvious damage.

Keep up with winter tire safety

Protect yourself, your passengers, and other drivers by staying aware of your tire conditions.

If you’d like to have your tires examined by well-seasoned professionals, come and see us at Conrad’s.