Summer verses Winter tyres – why make the switch?
Many UK fleets debate the option of switching between summer and winter tyres. There are many benefits to making the switch, regardless of whether we get snow on the ground or not.
Winter and summer tyres are really two different product groups as they need to perform under different conditions. Winter tyres need to perform on dry, wet, icy, slushy and snowy roads at temperatures below seven degrees Celsius and in freezing conditions, while summer tyres have to show excellent performance at temperatures which can get up to 40 degrees on dry and wet roads. There are a few key technology differences that allow winter tyres to perform better in cold weather conditions: the types of tread compounds, the special sipe technologies in the tread pattern, the shape of the contact patch and the distinctive tread designs.
The advantages for fleets switching to the appropriate tyre to suit seasonal conditions are first and foremost the safety of fleet drivers, but also the ability to offer clients the assurance that fleet drivers will be able to remain mobile throughout the year.
Slippery and icy roads play a big part in road accidents during winter months. The softer and therefore more flexible polymer compounds used in winter tyres allow these tyres to perform much better at lower temperatures and on cold road surfaces. Fitting winter tyres can help to reduce the risk of skidding in these conditions, giving fleet operators the ability to proactively manage the safety of fleet drivers, as well as the cost-benefits of ensuring a mobile fleet all year round.
Goodyear’s latest winter tyre offering is the award winning UltraGrip Performance. The tyre offers excellent grip and handling to navigate a range of winter conditions—from snow to slush and ice. The UltraGrip Performance builds on 44 years of innovation and 60 million UltraGrip tyres sold. It boasts improved siping with an interlocking system, an evolved tread pattern and high number of block activators to provide excellent grip and high handling performance in all winter conditions.
Hydrodynamic grooves improve aquaplaning and slush resistance on wet and slushy roads and a squarer footprint shape with uniform pressure distribution provides improved performance on dry and icy roads throughout the tyre’s life. A tread wear indicator allows the fleet to change tyres at the correct change interval and consequently to maintain high tyre performance in all winter driving conditions.
Fleets should be able to stay fully operational no matter what the weather and winter tyres give the technology and performance needed to ensure this.
You can find out more about winter tyres at www.goodyear.co.uk
versus predecessor
versus predecessor
