Can you use summer tyres in winter?

Three key differences between summer and winter tyres

To help you understand why it is not advisable to use your summer tyres throughout the year, let's look at three important differences between summer and winter tyres.

Compound

The chemical composition of the rubber compound making up a tyre is engineered for specific seasons. Winter tyres have a compound that remains soft and has a flexible consistency in colder temperatures. Generally, materials contract and harden as they get colder, but the softer compound of winter tyres takes this into account and, as a result, guards against issues such as splitting and loss of elasticity.

In contrast, summer tyres are designed for optimal performance in warmer months. They are manufactured from a harder compound producing reduced flexibility for better grip.

Tread pattern

Winter tyres have large, thin grooves or sipes in their tread pattern, as this facilitates better drainage of water. This design reduces the risk of aquaplaning and optimises traction.

In contrast, the grooves on summer tyres are smaller and fewer in number.

Stopping distances

The two factors mentioned above have a strong bearing on the stopping distance of a car, regardless of conditions. In snowy or icy conditions, a car with winter tyres will have a shorter stopping distance than a car equipped with summer tyres. In warmer wet or dry weather conditions, a car with summer tyres will have slightly better braking times.

Problems of using summer tyres in winter

Stopping distances are not the only reason why the answer to 'are summer tyres OK in UK winters?' should be 'no'. There are plenty of other compelling reasons why you should avoid using summer tyres during the winter months:

Vulnerability to frost

When a summer tyre is exposed to extremely cold conditions, the rubber stiffens and your traction levels decrease. As a consequence, you are more likely to slip and lose control on icy roads.

Poor acceleration

Another benefit of the deeper treads on winter tyres is that the better traction allows faster acceleration. The improved grip also enables the car to handle sharp corners more effectively.

Tyre preservation

On the face of it, having two sets of tyres as opposed to one, sounds like an expensive course of action. However, switching to winter tyres (and vice versa) will greatly increase the lifespan of both sets. One of the big problems of using summer tyres in winter is that they are more susceptible to splits or cracks in cold weather. Even though these are sometimes minor problems, they will increase the deterioration rate of your tyres.

Advantages of using summer tyres in summer

Given the factors outlined above, you may be thinking that using a winter tyre all year round is the best option. In truth, there are a number of key benefits to using summer tyres during the spring and summer months. The hard compound in summer tyres equates to the the tyres using less energy over defined distances. This is known as the rolling resistance and means that a summer tyre gives you more miles per gallon than you get when using winter tyres. Another benefit of the reduced rolling resistance of summer tyres is that it improves the handling efficiency of the vehicle.

Do I have to use winter tyres?

No, seasonal tyre changes are NOT compulsory in the UK. This is also the case in some other European countries, including Spain and France. However, many Northern European countries like Finland and Sweden DO have laws that require you to use winter tyres at specific times of the year. There are also some countries (for instance Germany) in which the regulations can change depending on the specific road conditions. So if you are planning to drive in any of those countries, please check the current laws before travelling.

When should you switch to winter tyres?

Now we have established that summer tyres are not the ideal option for winter months, you are probably wondering when you should make the switch each year. The optimum temperature for making the switch is 7 degrees Celsius. However, the UK's weather can be very unpredictable, so it is recommended that you wait for the temperature changes to stabilise over a couple of weeks at least.

FIND YOUR SUMMER TYRES