Keep Your Tires Inflated to Improve Traction on Snow
Most people who have to drive regularly in the snow have some advice or trick to make the trip safer or easier, like checking your windshield wiper fluid more often, keeping blankets and essentials in the car. You may also have heard the advice about tires: in particular, you’ll get more grip on snow if you lower your tire pressure.
According to a Consumer Reports article , some people who drive off-road, especially on sandy beaches, lower their tire pressure to increase the surface area of their tires and prevent them from sinking too deep into the sand or mud. And while it works in this scenario (although not when you get back on the paved road), it doesn’t give you more traction on the snow. Here’s what you need to know.
Keep your tires fully inflated
Whether you’re riding in snow or during times of extreme heat, it’s a good idea to keep your tires fully inflated. In fact, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT), driving in snow without fully inflated tires is a safety hazard:
Decreasing air pressure will not improve traction, and tire pressure can be severely reduced, affecting handling. Keep in mind that every time the outside temperature drops 10 degrees, the air pressure in your tires drops by about one psi.
If that’s not convincing enough, CDOT also says that under-inflated tires “are the leading cause of tire failure”. For this reason, it’s especially important to check your tire pressure regularly – at least once a month in winter – and make sure it’s at the level recommended by the manufacturer.
Finally, driving with under-inflated tires can mean reduced vehicle control. “When you lower your tire pressure, it also reduces some of your braking and handling capabilities, as well as lowering your overall fuel economy and the risk of a tire blowing off the wheel,” writes Consumer Reports.