Should You Have All-Season Tires?

Choosing the right tires for your vehicle is essential for a safe driving experience. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 700 people died from tire-related crashes in 2017. With the wrong tires, your vehicle may fail to create a sufficient amount of traction with the road. And without traction, you won't be able to steer or otherwise control your vehicle.

There are different types of tires, however. In addition to winter and summer tires, there are all-season tires. What are all-season tires exactly, and should you buy them for your vehicle?

The Basics of All-Season Tires

All-season tires are exactly what they sound like: They are tires that are designed for use during all four seasons. Summer tires are designed for use during the summer, whereas winter tires are designed for use during the winter. All-season tires are those that are designed to perform year-round. Regardless of the season, you can use them on your vehicle. All-season tires provide a consistent and high level of performance during the spring, summer, fall and winter.

Advantages of Choosing All-Season Tires

With all-season tires, you won't have to replace your vehicle's tires multiple times per year. Most tires have an average lifespan of about five to seven years or 50,000 miles -- whichever comes first. With summer tires or winter tires, you may have to replace them prematurely. Summer tires are designed for maximum performance during the summer, and winter tires are designed for maximum performance during the winter. With either of these tires, you may spend more money replacing your vehicle's tires.

All-season tires are versatile. You can drive them on paved or gravel roads in sunny or rainy conditions. Other types of tires aren't as versatile. You might be able to drive them in some conditions but not all conditions. For a higher level of versatility, you can't go wrong with all-season tires.

Disadvantages of All-Season Tires

While they are suitable for year-round use, all-season tires are typically designed specifically for warm climates. They don't offer the same level of performance in cold climates as winter tires. Winter tires are designed with special rubber and treading that allows them to grip ice- and snow-covered roads more easily.

Aside from their poor performance in cold climates, all-season tires are an attractive choice for many drivers. They last longer, are more versatile and are supported by most types of vehicles.