Although the law requires us to install winter tires on our cars as the white season approaches, nothing forces us to remove them when the weather is nice.
It is obvious that summer tires are inefficient in winter, but what about winter tires in summer?
The safety aspect
Unlike what is used for summer tires, the rubber used for the tread of winter tires (the part in contact with the road) is designed to keep its flexibility and adherence at very low temperatures. However, when the temperature rises, its adherence is reduced in a rather marked fashion.
Driving with winter tires during the summer thus makes for a significant increase in the braking distance of your vehicle. In the same conditions and at the same speed, the braking distance with winter tires or worn tires was longer than with summer tires. That can make all the difference!
For your safety, there is no doubt that you must use the right tires for the season. You do not wear your winter boots to go to the beach in the middle of July!
The economic aspect
Some of you will say that it is cheaper to use winter tires all year round, because that saves the expense of having to pay for the tires to be changed twice a year.
But in fact it is cheaper to have your tires changed! Why? Simply because winter tires mean a significant increase in gasoline consumption. So you will pay the money you ‘save’ on extra gasoline.
Without counting that winter tires wear much faster when they are used in summer, and you will probably have to replace them much sooner than you had imagined…
