Winter Tyres
The most important thing to do before you take your vehicle out into the cold is to consider winter tyres for it. The rubber differs from all-season tyres in that it performs effectively on both damp, cold, snowless routes and snow-covered routes. Genuine Tyres Birmingham includes a three-peak mountain label.
Winter tyres provide greater traction in rainy, snowy, and slippery situations. It makes driving in the winter considerably safer for everyone. While ordinary tyres would just slip and rotate in place, winter tyres will pull your car ahead. This can also allow drivers to avoid sliding off-road and getting into hazardous accidents. Otherwise, you might injure yourself or others and damage your vehicle.
Maintenance
If you’re expecting snowfall shortly, one of the most effective ways of making your car safe to use in rough weather is to perform thorough winter maintenance. Consider having each component properly inspected by a professional.
Take It Slow
Driving slowly, irrespective of whether you have winter tyres, is solid advice for real snow driving. Everything comes down to the friction coefficient. It’s defined within zero (no friction) and one (high friction).
A tyre has roughly 0.7 on damp ground and just 0.15 on snow. With 0.08 friction on ice, which is scary, this is only a little more than pressing two bits of Teflon against each other at 0.04. Winter tyres are the greatest approach to counteract this.
However, driving slower than usual is still a wise decision. If one tries to charge up a slippery snow-covered hill, the tyres will have minimal friction and hence low grip.
Begin by releasing the clutch as softly as you can in manual vehicles. Maintain low engine revs. Change gears early while accelerating and late when decelerating. Lower rpm reduces the danger of wheelspin. Understand that navigating in the snow is similar to driving in mud. You could end up overheating the radiator if you endlessly spin the tyres.
It is also critical to break promptly. To stop your car, you can sometimes require more room than you believe. Slow down as much as you can, even if you’re unable to stop due to slippery situations.
Lower the speed and try not to halt in certain instances, such as at red signals, as long as the traffic conditions are light. Continue coasting until the traffic signal switches to green. If possible, keep your speed around 5 mph or less.
Fwds, Rwds And Awds In Cold Conditions
Try the low-ratio mode on an automatic or four-wheel-drive vehicle when driving in the cold. Avoid using sports mode. Load a couple of sacks and put them in your boot over the rear axle if your vehicle is rear-wheel drive.
It will serve to boost grip and steady the vehicle. It’s because RWD vehicles slip easily in the snow. And when you make a slip, rather than turning into it, focus on where you want to move and steer the tyres in that direction. Gently release the brakes while maintaining slight force on the gas pedal.
All-wheel drive is also not a miraculous solution to the winter. Though it will let you move and keep going in thick snow, having snow tyres is preferable to relying on the sort of vehicle you use.
However, if there are just a couple of inches of snow, front-wheel drive is suitable. When in snow, front-wheel drive beats rear-wheel drive. Except when the snow is thick, you will be ready to show up to work with a decent pair of season-round or winter tyres. In this instance, the lack of ride height will allow you to get stuck more than anything else.
Conclusion:
Your vehicle will handle deeper snow with a 4×4. You will face no difficulties with quality snow tyres, except if the snow is thick. Unplowed routes are also an alternative for a 4×4 Hankook Tyres Birmingham allowing you to drive more confidently in the snow. Make sure you’re refreshed and ready to face whatever curveballs the weather may send your way. You must act swiftly if required.
