A cool breeze, a hot cup of coffee, and a good book tucked under a blanket. Most people envision that when they hear the word “winter.” Then there are those who plan a road trip. Even in the dead of winter.
If you enjoy taking your vehicle for a ride as the temperature falls, do ensure your tyres are in decent health. Good tyre condition translates to your safety on the road, no matter where or when you drive. How should you look after your winter Tyres Bolton? We’ll see.
Tips for Driving Safely in the Winter
1. Get new winter tyres a month even before the winter season begins.
It is prudent to replace your tyres before winter comes. This tip is particularly crucial for individuals who live in snowy areas. If you keep driving on worn-out tyres, you risk slipping on ice or heavy snow. Furthermore, in cold weather, old tyres can firm up and lose traction on the road.
2. Examine the Tire Pressure Often
Air expands if it is hot but also contracts when it is cold. As a result, in the winter, air particles contract and come closer to each other. This contraction causes a decrease in air volume and a drop in air pressure. In the cold weather, this ended up causing the tyres to deflate.
In the winter, check your tyre pressures more frequently than usual.
It can be hard to drive if the strain on all of the tyres is unequal. This will also be detrimental to the tyres. Driving with under-inflated tyres is risky because the vehicle will not respond as per your expectations once you apply your brakes. The worst-case scenario is a tyre shellacking if there is no proper inflation in your tyres.
Confirm the tyre pressure every 1 month or every 10-degree change in the climate. All through the winter, keep an eye on the pressure. If you recognise even a subtle decrease in the pressure, fill that up right away. Take care not to drive too far when there is underinflation in your tyres.
3. Examine the Tread Depth
In the cold season, particularly in cold areas, tyres with more tread are necessary to delve into the ice and snow. There will be less traction when your tyre is in bad condition. It will lead to more car crashes, putting you and other individuals at risk. In the cooler months, pay attention to the tyre tread to ensure it is not wearing out excessively. Inspect the tyre tread before it becomes excessively cold or prior to the first snowfall of the season. If you linger until the first winter storm, your car may swerve on the road due to worn-out tyres.
In the cold season, choose to go for a 3 mm tread depth rather than the advisable 1.6 mm to be better equipped for slick roads. When any tyres are approaching the wear blocks, it really is time to replace them.
4. Rotate the tyres Often
Tyre rotation ensures even wear and enhances tyre sturdiness. Spin your tyres every 10,000 kilometres, or sooner if you start noticing wonky tyre wear. Winter tyres, on the other hand, must get rotated every 8,000 kilometres.
5. Put on Winter Tires
When the temperature falls down, make absolutely sure you have winter tyres installed. They provide better traction on slippery and wet surfaces.
They must get coated in sipes, which are small slits that create hundreds of additional small edges. In the cold season, these edges provide extra traction on the road. Deeper grooves get rid of snow and water far better than standard tyres. Simultaneously, the tread pattern will gather snow, improving traction.
Winter tyres can provide a 25-50% upsurge in traction over standard tyres. They generally comprise different kind of rubber that remains rigid at lower temperatures.
Regular tyres can also get used in the winter, but you must keep a close eye on the tread.
When the tread depth becomes too low, you will not have enough traction to ensure your safety on icy and winter roads. As a result, it is advised that you transition to winter tyres for your safety.
6. Keep an eye out for signs of tyre damage.
Winter can be hard on your tyres. Cold temperatures, snow, and icy conditions can all cause significant damage to tyres. Make sure you inspect them on a regular basis to ensure they are in good operating condition.
After each drive, inspect the tyres for fragments, punctures, or protrusions. These types of damages in Michelin Tyres Bolton will almost certainly increase the likelihood of accidents in the winter. Take note of the tyre wear.
