The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days of the year and good tires are one of the biggest keys to arriving at your destination safely.
Think of it like your shoes, people have all different types of shoes for different conditions and have you ever owned that old pair that doesn't have any traction that you can slide easily on surfaces.
That is something you want to avoid in winter conditions while driving, tires are one of the most important safety features on a vehicle and are important when it comes to stopping.
"It does make a huge difference on your braking capability in emergency situations," said Drew Crenshaw a manager at Discount Tire in Nampa. "The main concern is the safety of you, your passengers and everyone around you."
So how do you know when to replace your tires, Crenshaw advises the penny test, if you put a penny upside down into the tread on your tire and you can see the top of Lincoln's head, you definitely should consider getting new tires.
Crenshaw also advises people to put winter tires on their vehicles which not only helps with traction if there are poor road conditions, but they also perform better in the cold when the temperature drops below 45 degrees.
"Winter tires are made out of a different rubber compound so when it does become cold they do stay pliable," said Crenshaw.
Crenshaw also said that winter tires will help cars stop 20-50 percent quicker than all-season tires that he said would do alright in the Treasure Valley, however, if you plan on driving north or have a front wheel drive car winter tires are a much better bet.
Tire experts say now is the time to make the switch to winter tires before the first snow hits the valley and the benchmark to switch back comes around tax season in April.
