For most of us, the start of a new season means a change in footwear. To ensure our own comfort and safety, we adjust to the changing weather by selecting shoes that will get us around with ease. For the same reasons why we don’t wear flip flops in February or Uggs in August, we should be doing the same for our cars, changing their tires to suit the season.

As the weather warms and the seasons change, so should your tires. And while you may worry about the added costs associated with buying a new set or the time it takes to switch them over, there are some important things to consider when it comes to tire maintenance. Here are just 3 of the reasons why you should change your tires this spring (and some of them may surprise you).

1) Changing your tires will save you money.

Driving on winter tires during hot weather will burn more fuel, which means more money spent on fueling up. Winter tires were designed to perform best on colder surfaces. Driving on them during warmer weather will impact their tread life, ultimately risking tire blowouts and costing you more money in the long run.

2) Switching your tires will keep you safer on the roads.

When it comes to road safety, proper tire maintenance is the most important factor – especially when driving in inclement weather. Regularly checking your tire pressure, rotating your tires, getting routine tire inspections to look out for punctures and tread wear, and switching tires for the season will keep you safer on the roads.

3) Keeping up with tire changeovers means a better driving experience overall.

Summer tires are made of a harder rubber that is designed to create traction when there’s heat on the road. The sidewalls of these tires are designed with reinforced metal, giving drivers more stability and a quicker steering and handling response rate.

When is it best to change your tires?

According to an article shared by Wheels.ca, “The rule of thumb for installing winter tires is when the temperature is consistently below seven degrees Celsius,” then it’s time to put them on. Once the temperature is regularly above seven degrees Celsius, it’s time to switch over to your summer or all-season tires and tuck those winter tires away or recycle them.

What can you do with your old tires?

Tire recycling is free in BC. When you change your tires, you can leave your scrap tires with a participating tire retailer, and they will be collected and recycled into useful products such as playground surfaces, athletic tracks, garden mulch, and commercial flooring and roofing. Do your part to keep scrap tires out of our landfills, and help us keep BC beautiful, all year long.