Few things terrify drivers more than the thought of black ice patches on winter roads. Recently Bridgestone and the Tire Rack invited a group of journalists to the Compton Family Ice Arena on the University of Notre Dame campus to show us how the right tires and driving skills can help drivers maintain control of their vehicles.
Making Ice Sticky
Ice itself isn’t slippery; it’s the thin film of water that forms when tires pass over ice that causes cars to skid. If you have ever walked on an ice rink right after the Zamboni has refinished the surface you’ll understand—the dry ice feels pretty sticky.
Microcells in Bridgestone’s Blizzak winter tires give the rubber compound the texture of Swiss cheese. The holes in the rubber soak up water creating better traction on ice.
Winter tires stay soft in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit: the bottom of the range at which all-season tires maintain optimum traction. Biting edges created by blocks and sipes on the tread do the same thing as blades on ice skates, enabling the driver to maintain straight-line control of the vehicle.
Straight-Line Braking Comparison
While front and all-wheel drive help cars to accelerate better on wet surfaces, braking is up to the tires. Tires also make a significant difference in cornering, even with all-wheel drive moving engine power to the wheels with the best traction.
Driving Toyota Camrys equipped with both the OE all-season tires and Bridgestone Blizzak WS80s, the cars fitted with winter tires stopped approximately four feet shorter on the ice rink from a speed of ten miles-per-hour. Adjusting for an average travel speed of 30 miles-per-hour on typical winter roads, the difference would equate to sliding through an intersection versus stopping for the red light.
Differences in control are similar for cornering. Traveling at a speed of 20 miles-per-hour, a Toyota RAV4 equipped with Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 tires was able to corner on the ice without skidding, whereas the same car equipped with all-season tires chattered along a straight line before coming to a stop.
Olympic gold medalist, Bonnie Blair, demonstrates control on ice.
Bridgestone also invited six-time Olympic medalist, Bonnie Blair, to show us how biting edges helped her to dominate speed skating throughout the 1980s. Although she no longer skates competitively, Blair’s style remains as flawless today as it was at the pinnacle of her career.
Winter Driving Skills
The most important rule for driving on ice and snow is one any recreational racer will be familiar with: the car offers the best control when the driver asks it to do one thing at a time. In other words, brake in a straight line and don’t corner while braking.
Woody Rogers, spokesperson for TireRack.com, had some additional suggestions for safe winter driving. “Clean off the windows all the way around the vehicle,” he said. “At a time of year when daylight is extremely limited, good visibility is extremely important.” Rogers recommends cleaning headlamps and tail lamps as well to make the vehicle more visible at night.
“Put on a fresh set of windshield wipers,” he continued. “If you live in an area with severe winter weather, consider investing in a pair of winter wiper blades.”
Winter blades are either encased with rubber or hardened with Teflon, making them more robust to withstand corrosion from road salt and ice. They are thicker and less aerodynamic than standard wipers but can make a big difference in visibility when the weather is bad. “Anticipate,” said Rogers. “Don’t be surprised by the road ahead.”
It isn’t enough to simply monitor the car in front of you. Try to look at least two if not three cars ahead. On a similar note, keep a close watch on the car in back and the vehicles in adjacent lanes.
With the proper car preparation and driving skills, maneuvering through snow and ice is just another day at the races.
