Why are tyres treaded?

Understanding tread patterns on tyres

The tread patterns on tyres are not for show; those grooves are actually essential for safety.

Dispersion of water

The grooves in the tread are designed to keep the rubber in contact with the road, which is especially important when the road is wet. Without grooves in the tread, tyres would lose grip on the road when they float on a thin layer of water. This is known as aquaplaning.

Grip on loose surfaces

Tyres with tread patterns also provide better traction when driving on soft surfaces like mud and snow. The grooves provide a grip where a tyre without tread would slide.

Different patterns for different purposes

• Directional patterns consist of V shapes that are designed to channel water quickly in one direction
• Asymmetric patterns have different designs on the inside and outside of the tyre that improve performance on wet and dry surfaces
• Winter patterns contain deep grooves with lots of small cuts to improve traction on snowy and icy roads