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In many other European countries it is a common practice for drivers to fit winter tyres in late autumn and revert to summer tyres in the late spring, so why is this not the case in the UK?

Ask any British driver about winter tyres and their answer is likely to relate in some way to snow or ice covered roads. Ask a British driver how often they encounter snow or ice and the answer is likely to range from very infrequently to occasionally depending upon where they are located in the British Isles.

The perception that winter tyres only give benefits on snow or ice is years out of date. Modern rubber compound technology and advances in tread pattern design mean that the modern day winter tyre also provides higher levels of road safety on cold and damp road surfaces too.

New vehicle concepts combined with considerable advances in tyre technology have made driving noticeably safer today. However, it is unreasonable to expect one tyre type to provide high safety levels with temperature ranges varying by more than 40°C which has been experienced in Britain within the last few years. This is why specialist tyres have been developed over many years. To enable them to deliver their full potential there is one crucial aspect - they have to have balanced characteristics.

7°C Threshold

Ambient temperature is a deciding factor on which tyre type provides the highest safety for road users. Research shows potentially hazardous conditions are most likely to be encountered when the ambient temperature drops below 7°C, which in the UK means between October and April. Also of interest is the frequency of vehicle damage insurance claims which increases sharply with the onset of the cold season.

Braking on wet roads

On damp or wet roads, tyres grip differently - and the braking distance is substantially longer. Which means the question of the right tyres and the temperature is even more important. Over 7oC - between April and October – traditional summer tyres are truly in their element. Between October and April – Cold weather winter tyres show distinct safety advantages.

Braking on snow and ice covered roads

On snow- or ice-covered roads only winter tyres reduce the braking distance by those vital meters.

Temperature dependent rubber compounds

When ambient temperatures fall below 7°C the tread rubber progressively hardens. This means the tyre is less able to adapt to the contour of the road surface, reducing grip. Winter tyre rubber compounds contain a higher proportion of natural rubber and coupled with extended use of silica technology they minimise the hardening effect at low temperatures resulting in higher grip. Together with highly developed multi sipe tread patterns the combination is such that no summer tyre can match it.

Tyre Speed Symbols

It is not uncommon for the “Speed Symbol” of a winter tyre to be one, or rarely, two symbols lower than its equivalent summer tyre. This is because of the different tread rubber used in winter tyres which tends to run warmer than summer tyres, this feature helps aid grip in cold temperatures.

However, in order to maintain the vehicle’s handling characteristics it is strongly recommended when selecting a winter tyre to choose the one which has the closest match to the speed symbol of the summer tyre. If the maximum speed of the tyre as indicated by its speed symbol is lower than the maximum speed of the vehicle, a visual reminder of the tyre’s maximum speed capability should be placed on the dashboard.