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Winter is Here: Prepare Your Car for a Safe Winter Driving Season

Tires are key to staying safe on the road

CHARLOTTE, NC - (November 26, 2008) /PRNewswire/ — Now that the snow is beginning to fly and winter is settling in, it's time to get your car or truck ready for winter driving.

The first thing you should check is your tires. Even with all of the performance capabilities built into today's vehicles, your vehicle will only perform as steadily and responsively as its tires allow. And in extreme winter weather, that can mean the difference between focused braking power and out-of-control handling.

Colder weather brings on a whole new set of driving challenges – slush, ice and hard-packed snow – and once the temperature drops below 45-degrees Fahrenheit, so does an all-season tire's ability to grip the road.

Many cars in the U.S. have all-season tires, but since all-season and winter tires are about as similar as sandals and snowshoes, consumers can stay safer in winter by switching to winter tires. Summer and all-season tires just aren't built to hold the road in the same way that winter tires do. Winter tires provide safety and control in snow, ice and cold weather because they are specifically engineered to deliver a substantial increase in traction over all-season radials – by as much as a 25 to 50 percent. And that's enough added traction and braking power to avoid a severe weather-related accident.

For example, the ContiWinterContact™ line of winter tires from Continental Tire are engineered with pliable tread compounds and tread designs that remain soft and flexible in even the coldest temperatures, increasing the contact patch area and providing better grip on wet or icy roads. Tread design features include more supple compounds, deeper tread grooves and smaller shoulder grooves.

Continental's winter tire lineup:

  • The ContiWinterContact TS810 – engineered to handle unpredictable snow and wet driving conditions.
  • The ContiWinterContact TS810 Sport – delivers winter driving performance to medium and luxury-class vehicles.
  • The ContiWinterContact TS790 – a state-of-the-art winter tire featuring exceptional handling and braking at low temperatures. Designed for high-performance sport sedans, this tire provides dramatically improved grip on snow and ice.

Once your car is properly outfitted with the right tires for the season, there are a number of other steps you can take to be ready when the snow flies. You can do most of these jobs yourself, but when in doubt, consult a professional.

  • Tires: Be sure your tire pressure is set to the proper level for optimum safety. On winter tires, be sure to set the pressure 2.9 psi higher than what is recommended for summer or all-season tires.
  • Be sure to include the following equipment in your trunk: a set of jumper cables, a snow brush/ice scraper and de-icing spray.
  • Wiper fluid: Make sure the reservoir is topped off.
  • You should also check your radiator, shock absorbers, brakes and battery to make sure they're in top form.

Once you've given your car a thorough checkup, the best protection against breakdowns and accidents in winter is driving with foresight. This includes taking extra care on bridges or at traffic lights, as well as keeping a greater following distance from the car in front.

But perhaps the best advice is simply to use common sense.


For more information, visit www.CTNAMedia.com.


With targeted annual sales of more than $40 billion for 2008, the Continental Corporation is one of the top automotive suppliers worldwide. As a supplier of brake systems, systems and components for the powertrain and chassis, instrumentation, infotainment solutions, vehicle electronics, tires and technical elastomers, the corporation contributes towards enhanced driving safety and protection of the global climate. Continental is also a competent partner in networked automobile communication. Today, the corporation employs approximately 150,000 people at nearly 200 locations in 36 countries.