Snow Tyres

Ever had that sinking feeling when driving on a snow-covered road? That’s because your car is most likely shod with normal road tyres that are designed for optimum traction on dry and wet road conditions, but not on snow. Regular road tyres are also built to reduce rolling resistance so as to decrease fuel consumption. 

Snow tyres, on the other hand, are constructed using a higher percentage of natural rubber and silica as it prevents the tyre from hardening as much as synthetic tyres in cold temperatures, thereby providing better traction. 

Tyres with a wide contact patch will make the car sink into the snow. As a result, snow tyres have a narrow contact patch that helps provide adequate traction. Snow tyres also have more sipes on the tread pattern to allow more water to escape from under the tyre and reduce the risk of aquaplaning. 

There is also a kind of snow tyres available on the market that come with tiny metal studs in the tread for increased grip on loose or fresh snow. On the flip side, these tyres cannot be used on normal road surfaces as they will wear out quickly. Besides, they would also increase fuel consumption and damage tarmac roads.