Vernon, BC - Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The all-weather ‘year-round winter tire’ could be the way to get winter tires on more vehicles
A recent Kal Tire survey confirms yet again almost half of vehicle owners are driving without winter tires. To get winter tires on more vehicles and help make our roads safer, Kal Tire has a solution – the winter tire you can drive all year.
“There are a lot of reasons why people choose not to use winter tires. People think their all-season tires will be good enough for the weather conditions they experience, or sometimes it’s a budget issue”
The Kal Tire survey, which polled BC, Alberta and Ontario vehicle owners, reveals:
- 44% of respondents aren’t planning on using winter tires this season
- 64% of respondents who aren’t using winter tires this season said they’re considering all-weather tires for their next winter tire purchase.
“There are a lot of reasons why people choose not to use winter tires. People think their all-season tires will be good enough for the weather conditions they experience, or sometimes it’s a budget issue,” says Carey Hull, director of retail products, Kal Tire. “That’s why the all-weather tire could be the answer for so many drivers. They’d get the safety they need because this is a designated winter tire as well as a superior summer tire, and they wouldn’t have to buy or store a second set of tires.
Pioneered by the winter tire experts at Nokian, all-weather tires have long been popular in Europe, where urban drivers need just one superior set of year-round tires. Recently rated #1 in Performance Winter Tires and dubbed ‘a winter tire you can use all year long’ by Consumer Reports, the Nokian WR all-weather tire has already been standing the test of Canada’s roads for 13 years. This winter, as urban drivers seek safety and savings, Kal Tire hopes the all-weather tire will gain even more traction.
“These all-weather tires are perfect for drivers in cities with mild winter weather because you’ll have the traction you need to get to the ski hill on the weekend, and you’re going to get excellent stability and grip on wet and slushy roads,” says Hull. “Slush is actually the second-most dangerous driving condition, and it’s the most common.”
What makes all-weather tires different?
Slush performance. All-weather tires prevent hydroplaning and slush-planing with an aggressive tread pattern and siping (hairline slits in the tread). Polished grooves and slush edges also help push away water and slush.
Flexible compound for every forecast. The compound contains more natural rubber as well as canola oil and silica to stay soft at temperatures above and below 7 C. That means superior stability and grip on everything from bare asphalt to fresh snow. All-weather tires even bear the designated mountain snowflake winter tire symbol so drivers know they’ve passed requirements to be considered safe for severe winter conditions.
Precise braking. All-weather tires stop almost instantly on wet roads at any temperature. All-season tires, however, can take up to 30 meters longer to stop on smooth ice, even at just -1 C, where thin layers of water make the road slippery.
Savings. As a tire that rolls easily, drivers consume less fuel and emit less CO2. Plus, with all-weather tires, drivers don’t have to worry about season changeover fees or the extra expense and hassle of buying and storing a second set of tires.
All-weather tires employ a range of innovations to offer first-class safety and economy, qualities likely to be appealing to survey respondents who normally wouldn’t buy winter tires.
Kal Tire Survey Results*:
| Canadians’ winter tire usage | Total | BC | AB | ON | |
| Vehicle owners not planning on using winter tires this season | 44% | 47% | 52% | 40% | |
| Vehicle owners considering all-weather tires for next tire purchase | 64% | 67% | 69% | 62% |
Regional findings:
- Alberta drivers were the least likely to use winter tires, with 52% saying they weren’t planning to use winter tires this season.
- Ontario has the highest percentage of drivers using winter tires at 60%.
- Alberta had the highest percentage of drivers considering all-weather tires for their next tire purchase.
“We’re glad that more than half the people told us they plan on using winter tires this season,” says Hull. “However, there is still work to be done to ensure people are driving safely in a variety of weather conditions. All it takes is a little slush and a slight drop in temperature to -1 C to create dangerous driving conditions that all-season tires can’t handle.
About Kal Tire
Kal Tire is Canada’s largest independent tire dealer and North America’s largest commercial tire dealer. Kal Tire Mining Tire Group is a global leader in mining tire service and supply, operating on more than 150 mine sites in 19 countries across five continents. The company has warehouse facilities strategically located across Canada servicing over 240 Kal Tire retail and commercial stores. As the largest truck tire retreader in Canada, Kal Tire owns and operates 10 truck tire retread facilities plus an additional four earthmover retreading facilities are located in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ghana, West Africa. The company employs more than 5,400 team members.
