The IAM is advising motorists planning to fit winter tyres to order them now to beat the rush.

In countries where severe winters are guaranteed, it is quite normal for drivers to switch to winter tyres. This is becoming more common in the UK because of harsh winters over the last two years.

Winter tyres have a different tread pattern to give better grip on snow and ice and have a snowflake on a mountain as a symbol on the sidewall. The symbol indicates that they use winter grade rubber which stays flexible and maintains grip to well below freezing. The rubber used on standard tyres hardens as the temperature drops.

Winter tyres are not suitable for all year round – regular tyres give better performance when temperatures are higher and roads dry – but they do make sense for drivers