Driving in adverse conditions is never a fun experience. Wet roads and cross-winds can make driving a taxing and arduous activity that requires above-average levels of concentration. Now imagine driving in snow or on icy roads?
To help solve the issues associated with driving in extreme rain, snow and ice, some owners will fit a set of winter tyres to their car to improve the traction and help them out of a sticky situation.
Ice and snow reduce the traction of the tyres on the road surface. Larger tread blocks with deeper grooves help cut through the snow and allow the surface of the tyre to make better contact with the road. Additional sipes (groves that run over the shoulder of the tyre) help expel snow, mud and moisture.
Winter tyres are also constructed from a specially formulated rubber compound that allows them to perform better in temperatures below 7-deg. The rubber used for summer tyres cycle the heat too fast and as a result, struggle to get up to operating temperature. This causes them to wear down faster than usual.
As South Africa seldom sees sustained temperatures of this nature and extremely few places have the type of snowfall one would see in Europe or Northern America, winter tyres are not necessary. The brief instances where the temperature does dip below the 7-deg mark doesn't necessitate a switch to a compound for cooler climates. As such, winter tyres are seldom kept in stock.
