Do You Need Winter Tires Even When It Doesn't Snow?

What if I never drive in the snow? What if I avoid the roads when the forecast calls for freezing rain? What if I keep my car in the garage and only head out on nice, sunny winter days?

Truthfully, if you’re driving in Prince Edward Island in the winter, the best tire option is a winter tire. There are three main reasons.

First, the weather is unpredictable, and while your drive from Charlottetown to Summerside might not require the traction winter tires afford, you never know if the drive back to Charlottetown very well may.

Second, you’re unpredictable. We all are. There are years in which PEI’s roads become snow-covered and stay that way for prolonged periods. It’s one thing to believe you can avoid the roads for a day or two, but what happens on day 3 when you genuinely require a trip to the pharmacy and the roads are still snowy and slushy?

Finally, winter tires aren’t just better in winter because they’re better in snow. They’re also much better tires in cold temperatures. In fact, below 7°C, all-season tires begin to firm up and lose grip. Below freezing, an all-season tire is getting too hard to truly provide maximum grip. And below -10°C, an all-season tire is so firm that available traction has been greatly reduced. 

Winter tires are made of a softer rubber compound. The winter tire construction means they wear too quickly in the summer and don’t offer the kind of performance you’re looking for on dry, hot pavement. But in the winter, that soft compound combines with a snow-expelling tread pattern to maximize traction. 

Tires are the most important safety component on your vehicle. Tires are the only part of your vehicle that touches the ground. It’s not something to take lightly. In Prince Edward Island, where winter is a months-long fact of life, make your winter tire selection at Centennial Nissan of Charlottetown or by visiting our Tire Centre online.