10 tips for safe driving with winter tyres
Winter is on it's way, and along with it the cold, snow and ice. Choosing your tyres, adjusting pressure, driving: here's rezulteo’s advice for coping with the bad weather.
Did you know that at 30 mph on a snow-covered road, you need 30 meters more to brake if you haven’t replaced your summer tyres with winter ones? A sufficient distance to make a pile-up inevitable or to skid off the road, it makes you think, doesn't it?
As winter approaches, it is a good idea to recall some of the basic rules for continuing to drive in complete safety. Here are ten tips in response to the questions you may be asking.
1. Snow tyre, winter tyre, studded tyre, all-season tyre, chains: what are the differences? Read on
2. When should you fit winter tyres? Read on
3. Do 4x4 vehicles need winter tyres? Read on
4. Winter tyres? They're far too expensive! Read on
5. Two or four winter tyres? Read on
6. What tyre pressure for winter? Read on
7. When should you use chains? Read on
8. How to store winter tyres between two seasons? Read on
9. Maintaining your car in the winter. Read on
10. Driving advice. Read on
A winter tyre means at least 20% more safety when braking
At 50 mph, on a wet surface and at a temperature lower than 7°C, a car needs 40 metres to stop if it is fitted with summer tyres and only 34 metres with winter tyres.
At 30 mph, on a snow-covered road, a car needs 63 metres to stop if it is fitted with summer tyres and only 34 metres with winter tyres.
The United Kingdom is miles behind Europe in terms of fitting winter tyres
Hardly 3% of regular road tyres sold in the UK are winter tyres, compared to 50% in Germany, Austria or Switzerland.
One third of all accidents in the winter occur on slippery roads, but studies show that the British are not aware of the advantages of winter tyres in terms of safety.
- 85% of drivers know that driving in winter conditions leads to higher risks (including that of anxiety).
- Yet, 75 % declare they are not aware of the elements that increase their safety during cold weather.
(Source: Tyre professionals, Ipsos study 2005)
