Snow tires (also called winter tires) deliver benefits not only for driving on snow itself, but also in general winter conditions such as rain, wet roads, ice, very dry ground and temperatures below 7ºC, which harden the rubber, causing poor road grip.
Winter in Europe and North America starts from December 21, but in some places the cold can start as early as October, by which time it is already recommended to use winter tires until March.
Why are Snow Tires safer in winter and how to identify them?
This type of tire is easily recognizable because its sipes (the cuts in the tire) are "interlaced", deeper and larger in number. These sipes act as a kind of "claw", making driving more grippy on roads with cold weather conditions.
Winter tires are designed with:
- 10 times more sipes;
- 3D self-locking sipes along the entire tread depth, which improve grip when driving on dry roads;
- 10% more tread depth, which provides flexibility on slippery roads;
When braking in snow, winter tires stop, on average, at half the distance that normal tires can. On ice, winter tires can grip and bring the car to a complete stop, unlike regular tires that can cause skidding or slipping.
Furthermore, with the use of the winter tire and the right steering, it is possible to start the vehicle without skidding.
Do the rental companies provide Winter tires?
This is something that varies a lot between the rental companies, since there are variations in the climates of the countries.
Some rental companies may have the value of the tires included in the rates, others may work with them as an option or even offer snow chains (chains used under regular tires to increase grip). There may also be cases where the rental company does not offer this type of option.
The ideal is to always check the information through our Customer Service Center.