Winter is Coming to the East Coast: Are Your Hyundai's Tires Still Good Enough?

Many drivers in the Annapolis area prefer the security of dedicated winter snow tires over all-seasons. If you're in that boat, you're likely looking to schedule a service appointment soon to have your snow tires put on, before the blizzards hitting the northeast this week visit Maryland.

But, are your winter tires still good enough to provide adequate traction in snow and ice?

Chances are, you haven't looked at your winter tires all spring, summer, and fall while they've been stacked in your garage. Before you have them put on your car, give them a quick inspection. Most snow tires make it easy to tell whether they still have adequate tread with a built-in tread-wear indicator (sometimes called a snow platform).

In the summer, tire tread as shallow as 2/32-inches deep is still considered acceptable. In winter, however, you want at least 6/32-inches of tread to provide traction in slushy, snowy conditions.

The photo above shows the snow platform on two Bridgestone Blizzak tires. The tire on the left is still providing optimal traction, while the tire on the right is starting to lose efficacy in winter driving conditions. It's worth noting, too, that both of these tires came off the same car -- so check all four for uneven wear!

We sell tires at Annapolis Hyundai, so contact us if you need new winters!