Get your car ready for winter roads

There are a few things you need to do to keep yourself and your precious cargo-kids, friends, pets-safe on snow, ice, slush, black ice and wet roads. Safety on the road is important all year-round, but winter weather calls for extra caution behind the wheel. That’s why many auto safety experts urge motorists to keep road safety at the top of their checklists this winter and switch to tires specifically designed for cold weather driving.

“Every aspect of a winter tire has been engineered to provide the best performance i n winter conditions and temperature fluctuations while maintaining traction on any surface,” said Mark Marrufo of Discount Tire. “Keeping your family safe in every aspect of life is your priority. It is our priority to keep you, your family and your passengers safe while on the road.”

At 45 degrees, vehicles often lose their ability to brake and turn well because of the rubber compound found in all-season tires. That compound begins to gradually harden when temps dip below 45 degrees, meaning decreased road traction and less grip. What’s more, snow and ice often pile up in the tire grooves on all-season tires.

Winter tires, on the other hand, are made with higher-silica compounds. This allows the tire to deliver much better traction, which reduces skidding and improves braking. In fact, in temperatures below 45 degrees, winter tires can provide 25% to 50% more traction than all-season tires. Two new tires for this winter that use this technology are the Bridgestone WS80 and Michelin X-Ice Xi3. In addition, specialized tread design, which includes thousands of very small slits-called sipes-provides extra road-biting

edges for i mproved w i nter traction.

Five Tips For Winter Road Safety:

1. Replace your all-season tires with winter tires for driving in temperatures of 45 degrees or below. Make sure to replace all four tires to avoid an unsafe traction mismatch.

2. Don’t forget the wheels when switching to winter tires. Having a set of wheels specifically for your set of winter tires will save money in the long run.

3. Check tire pressure reg u la rly a nd don’t forget the spare. Under inflated or overinflated tires may result in poor handling, uneven tread wear and poor fuel consumption.

4. Rotate your tires at least every 5,000 miles or earlier if irregular or uneven wear develops. 5 5. Mk Make sure th the ti tire shoph t hat get s you r tires ready for cold temperatures properly torques the lug nuts to the specifications for your vehicle.

If you’re not sure if you need winterit ti tires, you can get ta ff ree safety inspection at any Discount Tire location. For more facts about winter tire safety or to find a Discount Tire store, visit www.discounttire.com.

— NAPS