Is it ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on having winter tyres mounted on your car? It’s a question that comes back every year, and it’s one about which some persistent myths exist.
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1. ‘Do I really need that?’
The advantages of winter tyres are indisputable. Special additives keep the rubber more elastic at lower temperatures (under 7 °C), which results in the winter tyres having additional grip, improved roadholding and a shorter braking distance.
2. ‘Winter tyres are snow tyres’
Don’t confuse winter tyres with the rain tyres of Formula 1 and don’t label them as snow tyres either. Winter tyres or not, you have to adapt your driving style on slippery roads, above all driving slowly. Optionally, you can use snow chains in the event of snow or black ice, and from 1 November to 31 March studded tyres are also permitted in Belgium.
3. ‘Are all-season tyres a better option?’
No. While the quality of all-season tyres has improved in recent years, they still perform more poorly at higher temperatures than summer tyres, and at low temperatures they don’t achieve the grip that winter tyres do.
4. ‘Winter tyres are expensive’
It goes without saying that an extra set of tyres comes with a price tag. However, keep in mind that summer tyres don’t suffer from wear and tear when you’re driving on winter tyres, which means they last longer.
