It’s the holiday season, and everyone is busying themselves making travel plans including winter vehicle maintenance. Afterall, over 116,000 injuries can be attributed to winter road conditions, according to The Zebra. In fact, nearly a half million motor vehicle accidents are caused by general winter weather.

With the impending ice and snow, we found ourselves wondering about snow tires – do they actually work? Can they really help prevent a winter weather car accident? Aren’t “all-season” tires just as good? Lucky for you, we’ve done our research.

 

Snow Tires vs. All-Season Tires

Firstly, what’s the difference between snow tires and all-season tires? There are a few key design factors that set them apart.

  • Snow tires are built to withstand fluctuating temperatures.
  • The shape of snow tires provides additional grip. This creates a better braking and cornering performance than normal tires.
  • All-season tires are generally not as good for ice and slush, but way better than summer performance tires. Snow tires on the other hand improve your traction in weather below 45°F whether snow is present or not.
  • Snow tires take 35% less time to stop than all-season tires, and 50% less time than summer tires.

Even tires labeled as Snow and Mud tires aren’t as effective as tires specifically designed for winter conditions. In fact, snow and mud tires take 40% longer to come to a complete stop than dedicated snow tires.

 

Getting Snow Tires

Even if your vehicle has four-wheel drive, you still need winter tires to reduce the risk of getting into a car accident during this time of year. (By the way, four wheel drive vehicles don’t stop any faster than their two wheel drive counterparts, and since 4X4s are heavy, they may take longer to stop.) In fact, many crash avoidance technologies depend on your car having snow tires due to their adhesion to the road in slippery conditions. When shopping for winter tires, keep the following in mind.

  • While having tires with extra traction treads is useful, the feature won’t necessarily perform better in ice and snow. If you’re looking for better treads for winter, make sure the tires you choose have the 3PMSF symbol.
  • Some winter tires have studs, which provide more grip, especially in packed snow. Studded snow tires have deeper grooves with sharp edges, which can be particularly useful when driving in heavy winter storms.
    • In Missouri, snow tires can only be used legally between November 1st and March 31st.
  • Make sure you purchase four winter tires. Having only two on your vehicle may save you money temporarily, but it will cause the treads to wear down unevenly which can cause the need for early replacement.

 

Best Snow Tires 2022-23

According to Automo Blog, the following snow tires are the five best rated for safety in winter conditions.

  • Michelin X-Ice Xi3
  • Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
  • Dunlop Winter Maxx WM02
  • General AltiMAX Arctic
  • Continental Winter Contact TS830

 

Lawyer Up

If you get into a car accident due to winter road conditions, you’re going to need an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you win the compensation you deserve. Here’s what a car accident attorney can do for you:

  • Review your claim to ensure that insurers can’t take your words out of context and use them to your disadvantage.
  • Calculate the value of your personal injury, factoring in related expenses including future treatment and time off work needed to recover.
  • Explain and guide you through the compensation process and legal forms.
  • Negotiate a settlement that covers all of your personal injury expenses, and if need be, file a lawsuit on your behalf. With a professional in your corner, you won’t get lowballed.
  • Gather and present evidence including medical records, receipts, witness statements, expert testimony, camera footage, etc.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, contact us today to schedule your initial consultation for free legal advice from a St. Louis personal injury lawyer near you.