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Thursday, December 30, 2010

winter tyres car insurance

winter tyres car insurance ; Another aspect of winter tyres that helps them grip better in wet conditions is the addition of tiny slits in the tread blocks called sipes. The sipes greatly increase the number of lateral edges so that when accelerating or, more importantly, braking the tyre has more leading edges to bite into the road’s surface, adding to its ability to grip.

The process of siping was invented by John Sipe in the US in the 1920s and was initially used to improve the grip on shoes worn in wet conditions in a slaughterhouse! While siping can dramatically improve the traction of tyres in rain and snow it can, however, increase the noise of your tyres on the road in dry conditions, which is one reason why in the summer it is usually best to switch back to your regular tyres.

The heavier, deeper tread patterns on winter tyres also help to prevent aquaplaning. This happens when a tyre struggles to dissipate the water between the road and the car, and as a result you can suddenly find your car has no grip at all and fails to respond to anything you do – which can be a dangerous predicament to find yourself in.

Winter tyres - pros and cons
There are two main differences between winter and normal tyres. Winter tyres have a different tread pattern of wider grooves and narrow slits at the edges of the tread area, which combine to give better grip on snow and ice. The second difference is the material the tyre is made of. The rubber used for the tread section on standard tyres gets stiffer as the temperature drops, and grip starts to reduce below seven degrees Celsius. Winter tyres use a different material which stays soft and grippy to well below zero. Tyres made with this rubber will carry either a snowflake or a mountain as a symbol on the sidewall. Read More...

Insurance companies 'charging more for winter tyres'
Some motorists who fit winter tyres to their car to cope with snow are being charged higher insurance premiums, it has been claimed. AA Insurance Services says some people have been told to pay up to 20% more. Read More...

As snow car crashes soar, should you invest in winter tyres
In the 12 hours to midday on Friday (17 December) the insurer had dealt with 331 claims - 22% more than than would be normal for a typical snow free December day. In Scotland 51% of claimants blamed their accident on snow and ice, compared to 34% in Wales. Read More...

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1 comment:

  1. Helen GraingerApril 4, 2012 at 1:31 AM

    Hey there, thanks for the tips. My manchester tyres are always a bit iffy when it comes to winter and I was looking for some tips as to how I can keep them working.

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