https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlYEMH10Z4s
So, everyone knows that if you're going to be driving around in snowy and icy conditions during the winter, you should probably throw on a set of winter tires. But, are they really worth it? This video puts the two options of rubber to the test so we can find out the answer.
Using a hockey rink as the test area to simulate icy conditions, they brought on three identical BMWs for the experiment. That way, things would be as equivalent as possible except for the tire factor. One car was fitted with summer tires, another had all-season tires, and the last one had non-studded winter tires. The experiment included putting the cars up against three tests: acceleration, stopping, and a 90-degree turn.
Starting with the acceleration test, the summer tires took around 7.4 seconds to reach the 60-foot mark. The all-season tires completed it in 6.5 seconds, but neither could compare to the winter tires, which finished in 4.5 seconds. As for the stopping test, similar results were found. The car with winter tires stopped nearly 20 feet earlier than both of the other vehicles. Perhaps the most astounding results occurred during the corner test. While the cars with the summer and all-season tires spun out, the BMW with the winter tires was the only one that was able to complete the turn.
After watching this, I think it's pretty clear that the winter tires provide some extreme grip in these conditions compared to the other options. If you're thinking your summer tires are going to be just fine throughout winter, you might regret that decision once you find yourself on the roads. You'd be putting yourself at a higher risk for an accident, so I'd say it's well worth the extra money to invest in a solid pair of tires for the cold weather.