Having the right tires is key

Are tires and traction related? You bet they are! Having the right tires for your area’s driving conditions is essential.
     Severe weather makes driving treacherous. Snow, ice, freezing rain, fog and mist will make winter driving difficult and dangerous. But with a little knowledge and planning, driving this winter can be easier for you.
Do you really need winter tires? In northern Maine, my answer is “yes”, winter tires are needed. If you live on the edge of the snow belt where it snows several inches then warms up and melts, all season tires may be OK. All season tires are a compromise between summer and winter tires. They are designed to provide better traction than summer tires, but with less road noise than winter tires.
If you think winter tires are expensive, think how much a fender bender will cost you. Your insurance deductible alone would probably pay for a set of four winter tires for your car. Add in the downtime, rental car, the inconvenience of it all and the fact that winter tires increase traction and control which may have helped you avoid the accident, and it makes good sense to buy winter tires, Adding ice studs to these tires is also a very good idea. Once you’ve decided to buy winter tires you’ll probably have to “bite the bullet” and buy four.
Today’s automobiles are finely tuned and balanced machines. They handle best when conditions are equal. If you put just two winter tires on the drive axle, the other axle will have reduced traction, which may cause your vehicle to slip and slide. Think of it as a split personality for your car.
Having the proper tires on your vehicle will make the roads safer for you and your family and for everyone sharing the road with you.
At the Public Works Department our crews are on the roads in the very worst conditions that winter has to offer. Our plows are equipped with deep hug traction tires that are designed for winter use. We add studs to these tires to increase traction.
Many of you may have seen the picture of the plow truck that slid into the ditch while entering a turnaround area. While that truck was not one of ours, it serves as a reminder that if a vehicle that is designed and equipped for foul weather conditions can slide off the road, what chance does a vehicle have with the wrong tires on it?
Please, check your vehicle’s tires and help ensure that you will make it safely through the winter.
Gerry James is Public Works Director for the city of Presque Isle. He can be reached at 764-2560.