Tis the Season for Winter Tires
Updated: Feb 12, 2021
As the 2020 holiday season approaches, we have all had to adjust our lives because of Covid-19. However, one thing that has not changed is road travel. A new survey from Bridgestone Americas, “reveals more than one in three drivers plan to take road trips totaling 500 miles or more this season, and an additional one in three drivers who travelled by car to their holiday destinations in 2019 will do so again in 2020.” I can vouch for this firsthand, as I recently travelled up to Breckenridge, Colorado, and was pleasantly surprised to see how many people were out and about.
Many of these drivers will travel to places that regularly experience winter weather (like Breckenridge). This makes sense - who wouldn’t want to take a trip to escape for some fresh, mountain air, to do some alpine skiing or snowboarding? But, as Jeff Cook, Bridgestone’s executive director of Marketing Strategy and Product Portfolio Planning, states, “Winter tires are essential safety features for anyone regularly driving in winter conditions, just like the soles of our shoes, tires are designed for different performance needs.”
However, winter tires are not just useful for people taking road trips to the mountains. They are also critical for anyone who lives in areas that frequently have winter weather. Unfortunately, more than half (54%) of drivers who live in regions that frequently experience winter weather have lost control of their vehicle due to snow and ice. I can relate to this as well, as I have personally lost control of my vehicle after hitting black ice, and it was a terrifying situation. But, despite such alarming statistics, less than a third (28%) of these drivers equip their vehicles with winter tires.
When it comes to driving in snow and ice, more than half (56%) of drivers who live in regions that experience frequent winter weather say they are “very confident.” Yet the majority believe several common myths about winter driving, including that four-wheel drive makes stopping in snow more effective, and that warming up your car prior to driving improves its performance. Winter tires are an excellent solution to this issue that plagues over half of drivers in areas with winter weather and can go a long way to improving your peace of mind while driving. Additionally, it is also crucial to regularly inspect your vehicle’s wiper blades, brakes, and battery, to ensure that you and your family stay safe during the holidays.
*This research was designed to measure consumer attitudes and behaviors related to driving and travel plans for the upcoming winter months (December 2020 through February 2021).
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