Studded Winter Tires

During winter conditions, winter tires have more traction and better grip on roads than summer or all-season tires. A winter tire's grip and traction can be improved even more if metal studs are installed. The metal studs dig deeper into the snow or ice and are credited with improving stopping ability in these conditions.

Metal studs should only be installed in new tires that are molded for studs. On a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, it is fine to only put studded tires on the back wheels. However, if studded tires are installed on the front wheels of any vehicle, then they must also be installed on the back wheels. If this installation process is not followed, then the loss of vehicle control is extremely likely.

Despite the increased winter-driving safety, there are problems with studded tires. From a safety standpoint, on roads that are simply wet and not icy or snow-covered, studded tires are proven to have reduced stopping ability when compared to standard tires. Another issue with studded tires is their effect on pavement. Studded tires wear down pavement at a much greater rate than other tires.

Pavement wear due to studded tires is such an issue that 36 states have restricted them to seasonal use, and seven states prohibit the use of studded tires in any situation. Currently, interest is being seen in studs weighing 1.1 grams- definitely smaller than the 1.7-1.9 gram studs widely used today. Perhaps the smaller studs will prove to be more beneficial with less road wear, better stopping ability on wet surfaces, and yet still have increased traction and grip in winter conditions.