Can I use winter tyres in summer?

Winter tyres in summer

There are several safety and cost problems associated with running winter tyres in summer, even if it isn't illegal.

What happens when you run winter tyres in summer

• Your winter tread will wear down faster as the softer winter compound wears more quickly on hot, dry road surfaces
• Your braking distance will increase as winter rubber is too soft for optimal grip in warm conditions
• Your handling will be compromised, and the tyres will feel vague and unresponsive. Winter tyres operate worse at higher temperatures
• Overall cost will increase as you will get through the tyres much faster, cancelling out any savings from not buying summer tyres

When to change to summer tyres

In the UK, you can expect to switch to all season or summer tyres when the temperatures are consistently above 7°C, which is typically from late March or April.