Will Colder Temperatures Prompt Winter Tyre Change?
Many UK readers of tyrepress.com will have woken up this morning to temperatures approaching freezing point; before the morning drive in Stoke-on-Trent, the hometown of Tyres & Accessories Towers, the sudden need to root out the ice-scraper and turn the blowers up high did not go un-noted. With temperatures to continue in this vein throughout the week, will UK drivers’ thoughts extend beyond the purchase of a new can of demister and head towards the tyres, just as last year’s cold weather brought on a rush to fit more suitable rubber for the conditions?
Admittedly conditions are not even close to the spectacular snowdrifts seen last winter just yet, but as we all know by now, cold-weather tyres are designed to handle lower temperatures – such as the one degree Celsius seen on T&A’s dashboard – much better than their summer counterparts. Winter tyres yield shorter braking distances and better handling at the oft-quoted figure of 7 degrees Celsius, whether there is snow on the road or not. The subsequent outcry criticising local councils’ inability to predict the colder temperatures in 2009’s winter could equally be applied to drivers in 2010, should the current cold climate develop into a similarly cold winter, as is predicted. While last year the weather’s severity was unexpected after a decade-plus of mild winters; this year, no-one can argue they haven’t been warned.
The Fleet Voice Column published on FleetDirectory.co.uk today suggests those in charge of company cars ought to consider the benefits of winter-specific tyres, predicting potential EU legislation’s effect on fleet managers: “Storing the wheels and tyres might be more of a problem than switching them, but fleet managers interested in cutting accident rates and insurance claims will find storage the least of their worries,” writes Alisdair Suttie. One solution to the storage problem is being suggested by major chains ATS Euromaster and Kwik-Fit, both of whom are offering storage space for off-season tyres when winter tyres are fitted this Autumn.
Additionally, he quotes Pirelli UK’s managing director, Dominic Sandivasci at length, comparing both the relative performance of winter tyres and the size of the markets in the UK and similar countries like the Netherlands and Germany: “At temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius, braking distances of cold weather tyres are 10 per cent less than summer tyres. Similarly, braking distances in icy conditions are reduced by as much as 20 per cent with winter tyres…
“In 2009, cold weather tyre sales in the UK accounted for less than 1 per cent of the total UK tyre market. When you compare this to Holland or Germany, which have cold weather tyre sales accounting for around 10 and 50 per cent respectively in 2009, it is clear that not enough is being done to enforce the essential safety benefits of cold weather tyres in the UK.”
Legislation in Germany to make a “concrete winter tyre obligation” is underway, according to national transport minister, Peter Ramsauer, perhaps indicating a potential trend in European markets’ attitudes to winter specialist tyres. But will this carry over to the UK, which has both a milder climate and a milder interest in the suitability of its tyres, especially when it comes to fitting a winter product, evinced by the relative tininess of the winter tyre market?
Continental is using the current Tyre Safety Month campaign as a cue to talk about the safety benefits of winter tyres: their survey conducted in January showed that icy roads had affected the driving of 45 per cent of those questioned, and that as many as one in ten had been involved in a collision as a result of the cold weather. Continental brand manager, Tracey Hyem noted the way cold weather had brought many businesses in the UK to a standstill, while other European countries proceeded as normal: “Those countries have a history of fitting the right tyres for the right season. Winter tyres are available to purchase in the UK from all good retailers. Our advice to drivers is to think about winter tyres early now. There’s no point in being stuck on your driveway when the snow starts falling.”
Outside tyres, windscreen repair firm Autoglass is anticipating a surge in chipped windscreens turning into cracks as drivers haphazardly defrost their windscreens in the freezing conditions. The company’s survey of 3,000 road users yielded similar results to Conti’s: 46 per cent said they had either an accident or near miss as a result of the road conditions and nearly a quarter admit that someone they know has also been in the same situation.
Matthew Mycock, Autoglass managing director, comments: “Motorists are encountering an increasing number of road safety issues on a daily basis, which are due to the dangerous state of Britain’s roads and this will only worsen as the bad weather sweeps in and the roads remain unmaintained. Our advice to motorists is simple – be prepared for winter and make sure your vehicle is safe to drive. Always keep a good scraper and de-icer spray in your car, check your wipers and ensure you have a decent supply of screen wash, and if you have a chip in your screen why not get it repaired now, because as the winter worsens, so could the damage on your screen.”
While Mycock’s advice is indubitably valuable, and necessarily linked to his company’s business, it seems fair to add the tyre industry view to these safety-conscious notes.
Related News:
Comments