Are All Season Tires Any Good for Winter?

Are All Season Tires Any Good for Winter?. We are all familiar with the winter in Ottawa and the horrible driving conditions that can result from some of the really snowy days or the slippery roads that can be created in a matter of hours on days with freezing rain. While we are all aware of the climate that we live in, many of us are not as prepared as our fellow road warriors. Although it is now mandatory that Quebec drivers have winter tires, in Ontario things are different and many drivers choose to go with all-season tires that offer the convenience of not having to change your tires with seasons but the disadvantage of poorer performance. So how do all-season tires stack up against the winter tire competition? Many people argue that you won’t even notice a difference in your driving while others swear by winter tires and consider them a must have for any driver in Ottawa that doesn’t want to end up in the ditch.. Can all-season tires really handle the snow? Here is the skinny on whether or not your all-season tires will hold up to the harsh elements that winter has to offer. Put simply is that winter tires are designed for winter conditions. Period. Your all-season tires may be able to keep you on the road when compared to summer tires however after certain temperatures drop, your all-season tires are much less effective and the performance decreases substantially. That being said, this doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to take the ditch but rather that you will have to exercise some cautious driving. This is true regardless of your tires though because you will always have to adjust your driving to match the road conditions and if the road is more slippery or covered with snow you will want to adjust your driving by reducing your speed etc. There are some specific advantages with winter tires that can be more noticeable on different vehicles. For example, if you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle it will be more advantageous to put on winter tires on your vehicle whereas if you have an AWD SUV then you will likely not notice a considerable difference between the two tire types. Similarly if your driving style is very conservative then you will also likely not notice any major difference. Furthermore, depending on where you are driving you will more or less notice a difference between all-season and winter tires. If you live outside of the city or on a road that is not plowed as often then you will experience a drop in performance without winter tires. What is the Bottom Line? As per many studies that have been conducted, in a head to head contest between all-season and winter tires driven on snow and ice, winter tires won by a significant distance. Although the year-round rubber performed well, it’s clear in all situations with winter conditions, there’s a substantial advantage to having proper rubber on your vehicle. The results were especially striking during braking and cornering, when snow tires improved performance by up to 5 percent and 20 percent, respectively. Many people choose to go with all-season tires primarily out of convenience and pricing however the cost over the long run is actually cheaper to operate with 2 sets of tires for each season and it isn’t a hassle to change over your tires on your car because our team at Mobile Vehicle Services in Ottawa can come and change your winter tires and your summer tires over on your vehicle while you are at work so you don’t even miss a minute of your day. Our service is fast and affordable and can have you back on the road safely in the appropriate tires in no time.