Avoid hydroplaning | The best tires for wet conditions

Driving in wet conditions can be challenging under the best of circumstances and dangerous under the worst. Often times during rain, motor oil that has soaked into roads rises to the surface and combines with water to create ultra-slick conditions that can lead to hydroplaning. This is just one more reason why it's important to outfit your vehicle with the best tires for wet conditions.

Even if you don't live in an area that's prone to rain, you never know when Mother Nature might open up the skies to unleash a downpour. Having the right set of tires on your vehicle during adverse, wet conditions can give you confidence and make driving in the rain manageable. In some situations, it could potentially help prevent you from getting in an accident or even save your life.

Finding Tires with Wet Traction

Regardless of what kind of vehicle you may drive, when it comes to driving in the rain, you need tires that have exceptional wet traction. Wet traction refers to a tire's ability to hold on to rain-soaked roads. There are many different brands of tires that offer good wet traction and are suitable for driving under rainy conditions. However, the best tires for wet conditions will vary, depending on the type of vehicle you drive.

If you drive a high-performance sports car, coupe, or performance sedan, you might want to look into a set of high-performance tires. These tires have high angle lateral grooves that help resist hydroplaning. Their tread compound has also been designed to improve dry road handling, and they can safely handle wet weather conditions like heavy rain.

On the other hand, if you drive a minivan, a mid-range or full-sized sedan, the best tires for wet conditions might also be all-season tires from one of our trusted manufacturers. These tires are developed with slightly larger vehicles in mind and rely on a mildly asymmetric tread design that helps to blend wet and dry road traction. They are also equipped with wide grooves around the circumference that help facilitate water evacuation from under the tires.

Tire Installation

Whatever kind of vehicle you may drive, and whatever type of tires you choose to install, it's always advisable that you abide by RMA and manufacturer-approved practices when it comes to repairing and replacing your tires. The best place to have your tires installed is always the dealership. Not only do dealerships employ factory certified service advisors who follow RMA-approved practices, but they also possess an overall expertise of your vehicle make and model. This can be hard to come by elsewhere.

Even if you think the tires you have on your vehicle now are fine, there's nothing wrong with bringing it into the dealership and having the certified service professionals take a look. Regular preventative maintenance is one of the best ways to keep your vehicle running optimally under any circumstance, even wet roads.

As the winter months approach, it's more important than ever to have the best tires for poor driving conditions on your vehicle. If you're not sure what kind of tires your vehicle needs, just check the door jamb of your driver's side door. There, you should find a sticker that provides information regarding proper tire load, inflation, and tire size along with other helpful specifications.