5 Tyre Maintenance Tips for Safe Driving in Winter

We all know the importance of getting the best tyres suited to your vehicle, as well as ensuring your tyres are fit for each weather and season, but do we focus enough on the maintenance of our tyres? Tyre maintenance, especially during the winter period, is crucial. This is particularly important given the impact of the colder temperatures on tyre performance and safety, as well as the changes on the roads themselves.

If you buy a new boiler, you continuously focus on maintenance and get it serviced to ensure it's at optimal performance and, ultimately, to keep costs down in the long run – so why would the tyres of your vehicle be any different?

Tyres are at constant risk of damage, punctures, premature wear, and seasonal changes due to the drop in temperature and change in road conditions.

With that in mind, here are 5 tyre maintenance tips to help you to ensure safe driving in winter.

1.) Invest in winter tyres for your vehicle

This may be the most obvious tip, but it's crucial you have the correct winter-specific tyres on your vehicle first. Before establishing ways to maintain your tyres this winter, it’s probably worth making sure you’re happy with your tyre choice for the season.

You're probably thinking, “Do I really need winter tyres?”

We recommend it. The main difference between standard and seasonal tyres is that a winter tyre has a significantly deeper tread depth in order to account for the wet and snowy conditions typical of the winter roads. These winter tyres are also a lot more capable of handling drops in temperatures. This is another key difference between summer and winter tyres, with winter tyres being made from rubber compounds that are designed to work effectively at temperatures below 7°C.

Once you’ve invested in a great set of winter tyres, or even just a quality set of all-season tyres, then you’re likely wanting to ensure that they last as long as possible throughout the winter months.

2.) Check tread depth

Making sure you check your tyre wear and tread depth regularly is a key part of maintaining your tyres. Worn tyres are less able to grip the road and channel water from the surface – hence why this is particularly crucial through the winter months. The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, and you can check the tread depth yourself with the 20p test.

As well as checking the thread depth each month, or before every long journey, we recommend rotating your front and rear tyres - as long as they are all the same size - to minimise wear and tear.

3.) Check tyre pressure regularly

Another important safety check is tyre pressure. You can test this either with your own pressure gauge or at your local petrol station. Don't forget to check your spare too, just in case you need to use it.

Incorrect tyre pressure can affect your vehicle’s braking, steering, and handling, which are crucial performance factors all year round, but particularly on wet and icy roads. You may also find that you use more fuel, and that your tyres wear more quickly and unevenly – potentially resulting in structural damage.

Unsure on the appropriate tyre pressure for your vehicle? You can enter your number plate on our tyre pressure checker page to find out.

4.) Look for signs of wear and tear

We know tyres don’t last forever, but it's important to avoid your tyres getting too worn and damaged, particularly in winter. There are a few simple checks that you should carry out regularly to make sure your tyres are safe and meet the legal requirements this winter.

While we have outlined most of the main ways to check the safety of your tyres above, there are other visible and not-so-visible issues to keep an eye on. Carry out regular visual checks for tyre damage like bulges, cuts, and objects lodged in your tyres.

If you’re unsure whether your tyres are performing at their best, check out our blog for some tips on how to tell when your tyres need replacing.

5.) Washing your tyres

You may think washing your tyres is simply for aesthetic reasons, but in reality, there is a strong connection between tyre care and safety. There are lots of spots where dust, dirt, road salt, and grit can hide and cause tyres to weaken over time.

So, it’s well worth making sure that you keep your tyres clean this winter. Doing this will also provide a good opportunity to check for damage that you might not otherwise have spotted.

Tyre maintenance with Tyre Pros

You should now understand the role of tyre maintenance in ensuring safe winter driving. Keep in mind, too, that tyre maintenance isn’t just important during the cold months, but all year round.

As we touched on, all-season tyres simply won’t offer the performance benefits of winter tyres. If you’ve noticed that it’s time to change, or if you need advice on changing your tyres, simply get in touch with your local Tyre Pros centre for expert services.