Having the right tires in Florida will boost your car’s performance, increase safety and reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Do you have the right tires equipped for you and your family? Safety on the road is very important, especially when it comes to the dangerous driving conditions of Florida.
During our rainy season, we experience dry, hot, sunny weather, torrential downpours and flash flooding. This is why it is crucial that our vehicles are equipped to prevent an accident in foul weather.
Good Florida tires should be rated high for hot, humid weather. They also must have terrific wet traction, which is the tire’s aptness to hold on to the roads when driving in rain.
The following types of tires are all options when it comes to driving in Florida.
- Passenger Tires are decent if you are on a budget. They are affordable but they are not the ideal tires for hot climates. Their high profile will give you a smooth ride and longer wear while sacrificing handling, stopping power and performance.
- Touring Tires are a little more expensive but offer better performance and ride quality due to their lower profile and wider tread. Make sure to get your touring tires with summer treads as all-season treads don’t provide the deeper tread essential for Florida driving.
- Performance Tires, High Performance, and Ultra Performance possess even better road tractions and excel at higher speed driving. They have a softer tread compound and distinct lateral grooves at high angles to combat hydroplaning. High-performance tires may help you prevent an accident in the rain if you drive a sports car or sporty sedan and often drive on I-95 of the Turnpike. Ultra high-performance tires usually come standard on higher-end cars as they deliver the highest amount of control and handling. Their tread works well in both hot and dry conditions and on rainy, wet roads. This makes them the perfect choice for a luxury sports car.
- Terrain Tires have deep treads that allow vehicles to gain tractions in dirt and mud and are usually found on many trucks and SUVs in Florida. These tires are a great choice during times of heavy rain.
- Summer tires may be the best choice for Florida drivers since they are designed for both hot and rainy weather. Summer tires have deeper treads allowing water to quickly move away from your tires making them have great hydroplaning resistance. This is due to their unique tread patterns which make it feel as if you’re driving on the dry pavement even while driving through muddy puddles. They also have softer, sticky tread rubber which grips the pavement very well, increasing the traction.
- All-season tires are NOT the best tires for Florida driving. The soft, sticky rubber compound found in summer tires cannot be used on all-season tires because it hardens when the temperature gets below freezing. That’s just one reason why all-season tires are the worst for Florida drivers. Also, all-season tires have a tread pattern and tire compound better suited for light traction in the snow. In the end, summer tires just work better for Florida’s diverse driving conditions.
Have the best summer tires installed by the pros at Esserman Volkswagen! The easiest way to figure out which tires fit your vehicle, just check the door jamb on the driver’s side for a sticker with all the specs. Or call us at Esserman International and we will help you pick out the best tires for you and your car.
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