It's that time of the year again—the cold is creeping about outside, holiday jingles are invading your local stores, and the roads are becoming a much more dangerous place.  Buildup of ice and snow on roads is awfully slippery, and the low temperatures can wreak havoc on an unprepared car.  That's why you winterize, but while you are replacing coolant with antifreeze and making sure you have the other fluids right, don't forget that you need to winterize your tires! The reason it is so important to winterize your tires is because tires are the part of the car that most determines handling and stopping distance.  In especially wet or slippery conditions, you might take 100 feet to stop from a relatively slow speed, but bald tires can make it twice as bad.  That is why it's essential to have a good pair of winter tires if you're going to be driving in the snow.  Enough tread on your rubber can mean the difference between making it home safely and waiting for a tow truck in a snow bank. Another reason to use winter tires when Old Man Winter comes is because summer tires are designed for, well, summer, and winter tires, winter.  See, summer tires are usually made out of softer rubber that is made for dry, warm conditions.  That means that they handle best on a dry road, and they can handle heat and sunlight really well.  The downside is that they don't handle water or snow very well, and the low temperatures can actually damage the rubber.  It'd be terrible to have to replace summer tires, too, especially if you just got them. If you're in a sunnier state, it's still a good idea to get your tires inspected and make sure that they have enough grip for the upcoming rainy season.  That's right, everyone should winterize their tires; so folks in California or Texas still need to prepare for winter.  Along with making sure you have good windshield wiper blades and bright, working headlights, you should check your tires.  Sure, you may never see snow, but usually winter means rain, and the roads can be just as slick with water and accumulated oil. Here at Performance Tire, we love tires.  But we also love our customers, and want to make sure that you are driving the safest, best performing car you can be this winter.  Just remember—don't just winterize your engine, winterize your tires!