Winter tires provide much more traction in temperatures below 45°F, but studded tires and chains are typically illegal in the midwest (too much damage to the roads). I don't know of any state out here that requires winter tires by law. OR and WA would require traction devices like chains when going over mountain passes in the snow sometimes, but that doesn't happen out here AFAIK.

I've never seen anyone use chains or studded tires in Illinois or Indiana. Everyone has all weather tires, but that's about it. Usually DOT is great about keeping salt on the roads all winter.

I mean proper winter tires like we have in Ontario, no chains or studs involved. Tires that are softer in cold weather than all-seasons for greater grip on ice.

Americans spend their snow tire money on health insurance.

I'll lay some blame on the "I don't care I have an SUV/Pickup and ABS" mentality a lot of American drivers have when it comes to slowing down in bad conditions.

Driving from NY to Michigan through Canada in the winter was the most frightening driving experience of my life. The highway was pure ice, nothing had been plowed or sanded, and there were an uncountable number of cars and trucks in the ditch.

I love that he doesn't specify the amount of space required between cones. Just one cone for every ten MPH of speed. So you can stack those motherfuckers on top of one another, but as long as there are four, you're golden.