The Risks of Using Winter Tires in Summer

You probably have heard of the risks of driving with summer tires in the winter–the lack of grip, tendency to slide, increased stopping distance, reduced traction, etc. Investing in winter tires improves road safety in terrible winter conditions, but they are not designed for year-round use.

There are risks and additional costs to driving with winter tires in the warmer weather:

Monetary Cost

There is a high monetary cost to using winter tires in the summer. You will reduce the tire’s lifespan by 60% when using winter tires in the summer. While winter tires should last for multiple seasons thanks to use for only half a year or less, driving in summer will involve replacing them a lot sooner than anticipated.

Winter tires have a flexible tread design that changes shape more and will create more rolling resistance as it goes down the highway. In turn, this will affect your vehicle’s fuel economy, requiring more frequent trips to the gas station.

Driving Risks

Winter tires are made with compounds that are designed to work best in cold weather. These compounds are less effective at dispersing heat, which increases the risk of over-inflating and blowouts. Blowouts are particularly dangerous, especially at highway speeds.

Winter Tire Effects on Your Summer Driving

The specialized rubber compounds and tread patterns on winter tires make them highly effective for driving on snowy, icy, and slush-covered roads. However, they will behave differently on hot, dry pavement.

This includes an increased braking distance of at least 10% on dry pavement and 26% on wet pavement. These numbers increase as speed increases, going up to 19% longer braking distance when traveling 90 km/h on dry roads and up to 42% longer braking distance when traveling 70 km/h on wet roads.

The flexible rubber compound also changes on dry, hot pavement and will affect how your car handles. Instead of gripping the road tightly, winter tires have a hard time with sharp, sudden turns on dry pavement, which could result in a loss of control.

Hydroplaning

One of the biggest risks of using winter tires during other months comes during the spring season. Winter tires are not designed to quickly transfer water, which becomes an issue during the wet spring seasons and in heavy summer storms. Because they instead provide grip on snow and slush, winter tires pose a higher risk of hydroplaning when they encounter large puddles and standing water.

Hydroplaning happens when your tires lose their grip on the road’s surface and instead slide uncontrollably on the wet surface of a road. Your ability to steer and brake is dramatically reduced, and accidents can result. Because of their design, winter tires are more prone to hydroplaning in wet conditions.

Top Reasons to Switch Your Winter Tires for Summer Tires

If the reasons listed above were not enough, here are three concise reasons for making the switch from winter tires to summer tires.

1. Your winter tires will wear down quickly and unevenly on warm and hot road surfaces, resulting in faster replacement and additional cost.
2. Your vehicle’s performance will suffer, including in areas such as traction, handling, and stopping distance. This could put you, your passengers, and other vehicles at risk.
3. Continuing to run winter tires during the summer will result in poor fuel economy for your vehicle.

When to Change Winter Tires

Once the daily temperature rises above 7 degrees Celsius on a consistent basis, it is time to switch out your winter tires for summer tires. This will provide you with the right traction and control for all seasons.

Would you like advice or insights on the proper tires for your vehicle? Click the button below and our service advisors will be happy to help!