When the adverse weather typical of autumn and winter makes an appearance – rain, wind, frost, snow, hail… – we must take extreme precautions on the road. In the case of rain, you must be careful with loss of visibility and dangers such as aquaplaning. On days with strong gusts of wind, we face the screen effect. And for frost and snowfall, the poorer grip of the road is the greatest danger.
For all these reasons, winter tires come to the fore in the coldest months of the year. Although they are not exactly a new element and are very common, there are many doubts and myths surrounding them that we are going to dispel and deny respectively.
Winter tires are tires with a design and conditions that optimize their properties on roads with low temperatures, wet roads or roads with snow or ice. They transmit greater grip and adhesion to the asphalt and also better traction and directionality in these circumstances.
As highlighted by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT), winter tires are specifically designed to drive safely at temperatures below 7ºC, whether the road is snowy or not. These are identified by specific markings on the flank: M S with 3-peak mountain or 3PMSF.
They differ from summer tires in that winter tires are formulated to remain flexible and resist low temperatures, thus increasing their grip on slippery roads. This is thanks to its composition and the tread pattern, with deeper cuts known as “slats”, which grip the surface better and allow better evacuation of snow and water, also avoiding aquaplaning. In addition, thanks to their greater grip for traction, they significantly reduce braking distance on slippery pavement.
In Spain, it is not mandatory to wear winter tires in the cold seasons and months of the year. However, it is mandatory to carry special equipment when there is snow on the road, whether winter tires, metal chains or textile covers. In any case, since they are designed to drive safely at temperatures below 7ºC, it is advisable to wear them if you live in an area where thermometers are usually below this figure, as well as in areas where snowfall, frost and heavy rain are frequent. rains during autumn and winter.
There is a long-standing myth that you cannot exceed 50 kilometers per hour if your car has winter tires, but this is not true. There are no speed limitations relating to winter tires, as there are in the case of chains, with which it is prohibited to exceed 50 km/h. Of course, if your car already has winter tires, it is not necessary to also put chains on it.
