TCS guide: This is not an alternative to winter tyres: do summer tires have snow chains?

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I rarely drive when there is snow. Can I save money on winter tires if I only put snow chains on summer tires?
K. Simon, Winterthur

Some drivers living in flat or snow-free areas prefer not to wear winter tires. From a safety perspective, summer tires with snow chains are not an alternative, as the TCS test shows. For this purpose, two identical front-wheel drive vehicles were fitted with snow chains on winter tires and summer tires and driven on snow. When the speed increased from 50 km/h to 0 km/h, the vehicle with winter tires stopped in 24 meters, while the vehicle with summer tires and snow chains stopped in 34 meters. The vehicle with winter tires was ahead at the start and reached a speed of 50 km/h in a very short time.

The driving characteristics of a car with summer tires and snow chains on the drive axle are also quite unstable. Especially in corners, the front-wheel drive vehicle begins to slide due to insufficient lateral support of the rear axle. Also, a car with summer tires and snow chains is difficult to steer during a sudden evasive maneuver because there is no grip on the front axle. The vehicle electronics have difficulty coping with the high level of grip provided by snow chains on a single axle. ESP and ABS system regulates the vehicle strongly. This worsens traction and increases braking distances.

The test showed that snow chains and summer tires could not match the driving characteristics and safety level of winter tires on snow-covered roads. There is no obligation to have winter tires in Switzerland. However, you still need to drive a roadworthy car in the right condition. If problems occur with summer tires in winter, the driver has to bear the consequences.

It is definitely not a good idea to put snow chains on summer tires.

Source: Blick