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Winter Tyres & Seasonal Tyre Swapping

Cold Weather Tyres - Essential Winter Road Safety

While in many other European countries, it is common practice for drivers to switch to winter tyres as the winter season approaches, UK drivers often seem reluctant to fit winter tyres.

Also, unlike in many countries, it is not currently a legal requirement in the UK to use winter tyres. Not using winter tyres can dramatically increase the chances of road accidents, and reduce driving safety - especially in the event of a harsh winter similar to those we have experienced in recent years.

Many drivers seem unwilling to switch to winter tyres with the belief they are only effective on snow or ice covered roads, and admittedly, winters in the United Kingdom do not have as much snow as some other European countries. However, winter tyres are not only useful on snowy and icy road surfaces any more.

Advances in tread pattern design and modern rubber compound technology ensure that winter tyres also provide higher levels of road safety on damp and cold surfaces.

Winter tyres are thus recommended from early November until late March to increase your vehicle's grip during winter. Winter tyres should always be in excellent condition, as worn tyres are ineffective on snowy, damp, or icy surfaces.

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Why Do You Need Winter Tyres?

  • You cannot expect your tyres to provide ideal performance with temperature ranges between +30°C and -15°C. Winter tyres perform best under 7°C. In the UK, this means between around October and April (and arguably most of the summer!). Start using winter tyres from October or November, as the damp and wet road conditions are potentially just as hazardous as snowy roads.

  • The braking distance is substantially longer on damp and wet roads. Winter tyres can significantly reduce braking distance.

  • When temperature drops below 7°C, the molecules in the tread rubber harden and eventually freeze, which makes your tyres much less adaptable to the road surface, reducing grip levels. The advanced winter tyre manufacturing technologies ensure that this hardening effect at low temperatures is minimised, and thus, grip levels are increased.

  • Check your tread depth regularly. As tread depth decreases, braking distances increase. For maximum effectiveness and safety, make sure your winter tyres are always in excellent condition.

  • The number of accidents increase significantly on wet and icy road surfaces. Winter tyres can provide higher levels of safety and reduce the number of accidents caused by damp surfaces.

  • If you are planning to travel to Europe during the winter holiday season, Hometyre highly recommends that you fit new winter tyres. It is a legal requirement in many European countries to use season-specific tyres, moreover, winter weather conditions can be significantly harsher on the continent. For more information on European Winter Tyre Regulations, click here.

The Benefits of Winter Tyres

  • Reduced braking distances.
  • Higher levels of road safety - Better grip and driving control.
  • Many people feel uneasy when driving in winter conditions. Fitting winter tyres will potentially reduce your uneasiness about driving on icy and wet surfaces, and you will feel safer.
  • Reduce the number of accidents. Drivers are 5 times more likely to skid on icy or snowy roads than on dry roads. Winter tyres are designed to provide better driving control.
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Hometyre recommends that you always fit a full set of winter/cold weather tyres to increase your vehicle's grip during winter, and to potentially reduce the number of road accidents. We can fit and balance your new winter tyres at your home or work at no extra cost, and provide additional advice on winter road safety. You should also regularly check your tyres, and make sure that the tread depth is never below 3 mm.

Buy your winter tyres online with Hometyre and have them fitted at your home or work. If the tyres you are looking for aren't showing, please call our Support Team for help on 0800 783 93 10 or 0333 444 5454

Seasonal Tyre Swapping

Your new winter tyres will work most efficiently at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius where the performance of 'summer' tyres rapidly decline. The most efficient way to use winter tyres in the UK is to have them fitted during October and then removed again during March of the following year (forecast weather conditions allowing).

Our mobile tyre service will replace your tyres at your chosen location - home or work - where your alternative tyres can then be safely stored without the inconvenience of having to transport them with you.

Pre-book your WINTER TYRE to SUMMER TYRE swap over today by calling our team on 0333 444 54 54 or completing the quick form below and we'll get right back to you.



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