Winter tyre safety issue: Using them over summer in France

Your article in the November issue states winter tyres used in summer will wear out more quickly.

Read more: Snow tyre law could be used by French car insurers to refuse claims

While this is true, driving on winter tyres in summer is also dangerous.

This is because the rubber compound in winter tyres disintegrates at high temperatures.

It means that under hard braking, the tyres will end up rolling on bits of rubber instead of the road.

One article I read described these bits as being like small rubber ball bearings!

Consequently, the stopping distance using winter tyres in summer is almost double that of regular summer tyres.

It seems to me that when deciding whether to switch tyres in summer, this safety aspect supersedes the fact they will wear out faster.

Connexion reader Scott Nelson, by email

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