Should I get winter tyres for my van?

As Christmas fast approaches, van drivers are likely experiencing their busiest time of the year. The pressure of the looming festivities can put a strain on vans – whether it’s delivery drivers making their countless parcel drops in time for the big day, or tradespeople moving from house to house in an attempt to squeeze in as many jobs as possible before the break.

Whatever the profession, drivers need to be able to rely on their vans to get them from A to B efficiently, which means choosing the right tyres is critical.

Using summer tyres all year round may seem like the simplest solution to avoiding a tyre changeover in line with the seasons, however, summer tyres do not offer sufficient grip in temperatures below seven degrees Celsius. This is due to their harder compound, which doesn’t allow for any flexibility in the tyre, making it more difficult to grip icy or snow-covered roads. The nature of the compound also makes summer tyres more vulnerable to cracking in cold conditions, and their rolling resistance is lower than winter tyres, meaning stopping distances are increased. For these reasons, using summer tyres in winter can put van drivers and other road users at risk.

In contrast, winter tyres offer a much safer drive. The compound of a winter tyre is softer, which makes it much more adaptable to cold weather. The tread pattern is also designed to move through icy, snowy or wet roads with ease. We offer the ideal winter van tyre solution with our Wintoura range. Wintoura Van has an optimised symmetric tread pattern designed for high levels of traction and good braking performance, along with the following features:

• Three main non-uniform circumferential grooves and solid-joined outer blocks provide efficient water dispersion and precise steering response.
• The robust carcass construction remains flexible and adaptive, designed for heavy loads and optimal performance in cold weather conditions.
• 3D sipes and grooves deliver enhanced traction and excellent braking performance.

While winter tyres are certainly the safer option, it can be inconvenient for fleets to make the changeover, but there is an alternative.

All-season tyres

All-season tyres are a solid choice for areas with less extreme, milder winters. They provide dual performance, combining the capabilities of both summer and winter tyres. This removes the hassle of seasonal tyre swaps as they can be driven on all year round. This is an efficient, convenient and safe choice for van drivers, as it allows businesses to keep moving without the stress of encountering difficult winter driving conditions.

Our Vantoura 4-Seasons tyre doesn’t just defy weather conditions, it also boasts robust construction and a durable contact patch, which work together to improve longevity and heavy-load support.

Other features of Vantoura 4-Seasons include:

• Solid shoulder blocks deliver a stable drive and endurance, even when carrying heavy loads, whilst also making the tyre rugged and resistant to damage.
• Deep outer grooves enable enhanced water evacuation and mechanical snow traction throughout all points of treadwear.
• Three deep longitudinal grooves cut through standing water and provide the driver with safe and dependable handling on wet surfaces, making the tyre highly resistant to aquaplaning.
• Sawtooth sipes cut through the main block sections and are engineered to actively bite into icy surfaces.

For more information about the best winter tyre solution for your van, contact your local Davanti dealer.