do winter tiers work best for cars in snowy and icy conditions

do winter tiers actually make a difference and if so why don't more people use them
Nora Heck
F. E. Osborne School
Grade 8

Hypothesis

I hypothesize that the car with winter tires will perform better than the one without because the winter tires have more traction, which makes it so there is better grip, and you don't slide aroud I think that cars with winter tires are going to do way better in the snow than those without them. Winter tires are made to grip the road better when it’s icy or snowy. This means they help you not slide around and make it easier to steer and stop. So, I believe that using winter tires can really keep people safer when driving in winter weather!

Research

I looked into why people use winter tires, and here’s what I discovered. When the temperature is just below freezing, cars with winter tires can stop approximately 30% faster than those with all-season tires, Additionally, winter tires perform significantly better on icy or snow-covered roads when the temperature is extremely cold, such as -30°C, compared to all-season tires, which only work adequately at around 4°C.

Variables

In my experiment, I am focusing on the tires of two cars. Each car is equipped with a different type of tire. One car has all-season tires, while the other has winter tires. This setup allows me to compare their performance under various conditions. The effectiveness of each tire type will be evaluated through a series of tests. These two tire types are the main variables in my investigation.

Procedure

Test these tires. I have the same Volkswagen car, one with winter tires, one with all-season tires. I will test the tires' impact on stopping, starting, and overall control. I will complete these tests on different road conditions. I'm also interested in whether my results will help change people's minds to use winter tires.

Observations

How far the car slid test one

First time Second time Third time
51 inches 79 inches 79 inches
90 inches 93 inches 134 inches

For all of test one driver rating 4 and 2

Test 1 how long it took the car to come to a full stop.

Test one Test two Test three
0.71 seconds 0.84 seconds 0.41 seconds
1.44 1.48 1.44

Test 2 how long it took the car to cross a hole 50 feet reaching the max speed of 25 km/h

Test one Test two Test three
4.97 5.09 5.11
6.62 6.10 6.50

For all of test 2 driver rating 4 and 2  Test 3 hill test sliding distance

Run one Run two Run three
154 inches 110 inches 94 inches
167 inches 220 inches 250 inches

Test 3 hill test stopping time

Run one Run two Run three
2.26 seconds 1.18 seconds 2.04 seconds
3.17 seconds 3.46 seconds 3.30 seconds

Test 3 hill test up hill total time.

Run one Run two Run three
12.76 seconds 11.01 seconds 13.14 seconds
14.44 seconds 16.35 seconds 15.17 seconds

For all of test 3 driver ratting 5 and 1Forms response chart. Question title: do you use winter tires . Number of responses: 19 responses.Forms response chart. Question title: if you don't use winter tires why . Number of responses: 4 responses.Forms response chart. Question title: did you know that -  the winter tires greatly  improve the driving and when driving a distance of 50 feet on flat ground the winter tires took 4.97 seconds to cross the distance while all season tires took 6.64 seconds to cross that same distance and the all season tires slid 134 inches after stopping while winter tires only slid 79 inches. does this information help change your mind if you are able to get winter tires?. Number of responses: 17 responses.

My total findings are that the car with winter tires preformed way better in all tests then the car with all season tires

Analysis

Tests show that winter tires are way better than all-season tires when it comes to driving in ice and snow. Winter tires have way more grip and can stop faster, which is super important when the roads are slippery.

Conclusion

I can conclude based on tests and real life exssperances that winter tires are the tire to use when it is icey and the roads are snowy. This is important for over all safty for the driver and passengers in the car and other drivers and pedestrians around your vehicle.

Application

This can be applied to many real life situations and problems. It helps keep everyone safe on the road by giving the driver more control and better stopping time to avoid hitting other cars, objects, or people. Winter tires also help with better grip, ultimately helping with skidding and sliding. mMy researchand exsperaments where also dedicated to helping prove to people that the tires you use on your car or truck do make a difference in keepeing your self and others around you safe.

Sources Of Error

Some sources of error in my project come from testing different road conditions, like when the road is wet or dry, and using different types of cars. These things can change how the cars perform, so it’s important to think about them to get accurate results. I would have hoped to test on different road conditons but it overcomplicated my project, so i utumitly dicided agenst it

Citations

https://tracanada.ca/tire-reports/winter-tire-report-2024/

//ama.ab.ca/articles/winter-tires-101 . With winter coming, it's important to consider winter tires for your car. The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada explains how they improve grip on snow and ice, making driving safer. There's also an AMA page called "Winter Tires 101," but I couldn't find the exact author .

Acknowledgement

I want to say a big thank you to the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada for all the amazing work you do.

I also want to give a special shoutout to my driver, who is actually my mom! Her support means everything to me.