The importance of your tires and traction
Alaska’s roads during winter months
Alaska’s roads during warmer months
Tips to maintain the best traction for your car
The importance of your tires and traction
Tire traction is highly critical to the handling of your car as well as to the safety. The traction you have will dictate how quickly and easily you can stop your car. It will also allow you to maneuver turns with more precision. The less traction you have while driving, the more likely you are to mishandle the vehicle and get into some sort of accident.
Traction is particularly important in inclement weather like rain and snow as well as with roads that are older or in disrepair. Based on all of this, traction is a top priority when you are on the roads in Alaska.
Alaska’s roads during winter months
As you likely already know, Alaska’s roads are often quite snowy and icy during the winter. Traction can be the difference between life and death in Alaska over the winter. That is why getting the treads on your tires checked before the winter season starts is a priority in Alaska.
Winter weather can start as early as October in parts of Alaska, so be sure you get your tire treads checked by September at the latest. You will be best off if you get some tires specifically for winter driving.
Alaska’s roads during warmer months
The roads will be easier to drive on in Alaska during the spring, summer and fall months. However, traction is still very important. In the spring there will still be some residual ice and snow. Throughout the year there will be older roads with cracks and potholes from all the moisture during the year. It is important to have optimal traction in order to be able to maneuver around these.
Tips to maintain the best traction for your car
- Try not to stop short – If you stop short too often when the streets are clear, you can wear down your tires and their treads very quickly which will considerably lessen the amount of traction that you have.
- Consider four-wheel drive – Having four-wheel drive will increase the amount of traction you have by employing both sets of wheels rather than just one.
- Drive in other car tracks when driving in the snow – When you are driving in the snow, if there are other tire tracks already there, try to drive in those. The snow has already been compacted and grooved by other cars thus you will have an easier time establishing traction.
- Consider tire chains – In snowy weather, tire chains are possibly the best option for maximizing traction. They do this by cutting into the snow thus giving your car more of a grip.
