Many drivers often end up in unnecessary problems because they have a tendency to believe everything they hear Winter Tire Myths. As you’re probably already aware, the most common myths out there regard winter tires and whether or not they’re needed or if they’re as effective as advertised.
It’s actually amazing how little misinformation can shake the beliefs of even the most experienced drivers out there. Well, we’re here to clear the air on any misconceptions about winter tires and debunk some of the most outlandish myths about them. With that in mind, let’s further examine some of these myths.
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All Season Tires are Just as Good as Winter Ones
This myth or Winter Tire Myths is actually somewhat logical and easy to spot why it’s spreading around like wildfire. After all, all season means suitable for every season. Henceforth, all season tires are just as good as winter tires, which makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?
Well, the reality is that this myth is completely false. Sure, all season tires can provide suitable traction, but only in mild winter conditions, which means light snow and little to no ice on the road.
On the other hand, winter tires are designed for extremely low temperatures, heavy snow, and ice-covered roads. In other words, all season tires can’t even compare to their winter counterparts for specific weather and road conditions.
The Surprising Truth About Winter Tire Compatibility
Not all cars can have winter tires because these tires aren’t compatible with all cars. If there ever was a motherload of misinformation about winter tires or Winter Tire Myths, this is definitely it.
One can only wonder where do these myths originate from and why do people believe such rumors without checking the facts first. But it seems that word-of-mouth is quite effective at doing its thing, for better or worse.
So, to help everyone understand the truth, every car can install winter tires; all you have to do is find the right model and size for your vehicle. That’s all there is to it, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.
You Need Winter Tires Only in Areas with Heavy Snowfall
Another myth that drivers tend to believe, for some unknown reason, is that you need winter tires only if you live in areas where heavy snowfall is a common occurrence.
That makes total sense because you’ll never drive through such an area in your life nor will you encounter ice on the road, so why bother with winter tires at all, right?
So, to set the record straight, winter tires are not just for heavy snowfall. As a matter of fact, winter tires have more capabilities than just being able to plow through the snow for Winter Tire Myths.
That said, their rubber compound remains flexible even in freezing temperatures, which means better grip, optimized handling, and improved braking power even on icy roads.
Therefore, heavy snow or not, you need winter tires in every area where it’s cold enough or where winter road conditions are severe enough to render other tires useless.
The True Cost of Not Buying Winter Tires
So, you’ve decided not to buy winter tires for whatever reason, and now you’re going to try your luck on the open road. It’s true that winter tires are expensive, and most households in the US would rather not have to pay for two sets of tires that need to be installed, balanced, and aligned every season.
However, the consequences of such decisions can have very negative outcomes. For example, proper winter tires are able to improve the vehicle’s stopping power by up to 40% in harsh winter conditions. What that means is that you’re less likely to hit another car in front of you if you hit the brakes or end up in a ditch somewhere because you couldn’t stop on time.
What’s more, you could opt for a good set of all weather tires, but you’ll be driving those throughout the year, which means the tread will wear down faster, so you’ll have to replace them often.
On the other hand, two sets of tires will only see half of tread wear each season, which means fewer recurring costs in the long run. Buying winter tires is actually a one-time investment that will last for up to nine years, depending on the circumstances.
Final Thoughts
It’s no wonder that there are numerous myths floating around about winter tires. It seems that people mostly want to justify not buying them, to begin with Winter Tire Myths.
It’s easy to understand such a point of view, but one must only consider the safety of themselves and other participants in traffic, especially during harsh winters when even the most seasoned drivers are put to the test.
Be that as it may, the vast majority of these myths are complete nonsense, while the decision whether to buy winter tires or not is entirely up to you.
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