Photo: LeManna (Shutterstock)
Most people who have to regularly drive in the snow have some kind of tip or trick for making the trip safer or easier—things like checking your windshield wiper fluid more often, and keeping blankets and emergency supplies in your car. You also may have heard a piece of advice about tires: Specifically, that you’ll get more traction driving in the snow if you lower your tire pressure.
According to an article by Consumer Reports, some people who drive off-road—especially on sandy beaches—reduce their tire pressure in order to increase the surface area of their tires, and prevent them from sinking too far into the sand or mud. And while it works in that scenario (although, not when you get back onto paved roads), it doesn’t give you more traction in the snow. Here’s what to know.
Keep your tires fully inflated
Whether you’re driving in the snow or during a heatwave, it’s a good idea to keep your tires fully inflated. In fact, driving in the snow without fully inflated tires is a safety risk, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT):
Reducing air pressure will not give you more traction and your tires could become seriously underinflated, affecting steering. Keep in mind that every time the outside temperature drops 10 degrees, the tire air pressure goes down about one pound per square inch.
If that’s not convincing enough, CDOT also says that underinflated tires “are the major cause of tire failure.” For this reason, it’s especially important to check your tire pressure on a regular basis—at minimum, once a month during the winter—and make sure that it’s at the level recommended by the manufacturer.
Lastly, driving with underinflated tires can mean having less control over your vehicle. “When you lower the tire pressure, that will also sacrifice some braking and handling capabilities, as well as hurting your overall fuel economy and risk of the tire separating from the wheel,” Consumer Reports writes.
