Tyre covers: are you familiar with this alternative to snow chains?

If you live in an area where it usually snows during winter, you will be familiar with snow chains. Now their use can also be avoided by fitting winter tyres, which are designed to drive on roads covered in snow and at risk of patches of ice. But besides these two ways of getting through these difficult stretches, there is another item that can help you drive more safely: tyre covers.

Tyre covers are usually simpler to fit than chains. They are textile covers that are placed over the tyre and provide greater safety while driving. That said, they are recommended for short journeys where you are caught out by snow, and they are not as effective as snow chains.

Fitting them is very simple and they can be a good alternative for those moments when it is harder to fit traditional chains. They offer acceptable safety and can help us when we need a safety element on the wheels to keep going.

They are fitted much like a normal cover. They should be used on the driving wheels, and you start covering the tyre from the top, lowering and adjusting the elastic section at the rear or front, depending on the model. Then the vehicle must be moved slightly to finish adjusting the cover over the tyre, so that it cannot come loose while driving.

Although they offer quite a high level of safety, this system is recommended only when no other system is available, such as metal or composite chains. Those systems are more efficient and safer, so if you need to drive regularly on snowy roads, they are the more recommended option.

As for price, fabric tyre covers usually cost between 30 and 50 euros, although more expensive models may exist depending on the size and quality of the chosen product.