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Show Professor Studies Performance Of Chains and Snow Tires E. Embedded metal coils, serpentine ser-pentine ribs provide better snow and ice traction than regular regu-lar tires. Effective on wet ice. F. Sanders performance outstanding out-standing in traction on ice only. G. Regular round wire tire chains good stop and go performance per-formance on ice and snow. Side skid resistance low compared to reinforced tire chains. H. Reinforced tire chains best in overall performance on both ice and snow. What To Do? 1. A driver must select the tire that best suits his situation and supplement it by always having reinforced tire chains in th car trunk. They are often needed for severe conditions. A University of Wisconsin research re-search professor who has conducted con-ducted winter driving tests on Wisconsin's ice and snow for the past dozen years has revealed that some winter tire advertisers occasionally "get carried away and present misleading information informa-tion which is unfair to the majority ma-jority of companies which stick to factual information." He calls attention to a national na-tional safety committee resolution resolu-tion warning that "misleading advertising concerning non-skid properties of tires can become an indirect cause of costly traffic tie-ups and painful accidents by leading motorists into taking risks of which they are not fully aware." He is Prof. Archie H. Easton, director of the Motor Vehicle Research Laboratory at the University Uni-versity of Wisconsin, who points to results of comprehensive tests by the National Safety Council's Committee on Winter Driving Hazards. He is chairman of the committee and is described as the outstanding authority on coefficients co-efficients of friction as related 2. Pump brokes to reduce skidding, maintain steering control con-trol and shorten stopping distance. dis-tance. Use brakes judicially to evaluate road surface if questionable. ques-tionable. 3. If a vehicle begins to skid, the driver should reduce the power and turn the wheel in the direction of the rear end skid until recovery begins. 4. The appliction of power and steering forces shoudl be gradual and smooth on winter surfaces. 5. Use recommended tire pressures pres-sures for best tire performance on ice. to winter road surfaces." Prof. Easton's favorite subject, when he isn't teaching his engineering engi-neering classes at the University, is to talk about the facts of safe winter driving. He points out that during snow-ice months rural death rates are three times higher than in urban areas. Having risked his limbs and life time and again in winter test driving Easton can tell about hundreds of test results with all types of vehicles, tire treads and chains to reduce dangers of skidding or stalling. He recommends recom-mends that all snow best drivers study the following facts: Winter Starting: When it comes to starting and pulling ability on glare ice, snow tires are 28 per cent better than regular tires; regular tire chains are 231 per cent better, v while reinforced tire chains are 409 per cent better. bet-ter. On loosely packed snow, the snow tires are 51 per cent better than regular tires, whereas reinforced re-inforced tire chains provide 313 per cent better traction. Stopping Ability: On glare ice at onla 20 mph braking distances for regular tires average 195 feet. Snow tires take 174 feet, regular tire chains 99 feet, and reinforced tire chains 77 feet. At 20 mph on loosely packed snow, regular tires stopped in 60 feet, snow tires 52 feet, regular tire chains 46 feet and reinforced tire chains 38 feet. Basic Conclusion: Prof. Easton summarizes other basic conclusions conclu-sions from his winter driving tests, to aid drivers in 43 snow belt states just before severe weather and road conditions set in, as follows: 1. The. most hazardous winter surface condition is ice near or at the freezing temperature. 2. Braking distances on winter surfaces are 3 to 12 times as great as those on bare pavement. 3. Tires and traction devices listed in the approximate order of increasing effectiveness on winter surfaces are as follows: A. Smooth tires very poor in cornering. Should not be used. B. Regular tires inadequate under many winter conditions. C. Winterized tire (breakout material or tread treatment provide beter traction on ice, not much improvement in snow over regular tires. D. Mud-snow modern design provide better snow and ice traction than regular tires. |