Is the Road Snowy or Icy?
If you spend more time on icy roads than on snowy ones during the winter, studded tires are the way to go. Studded tires are particularly useful if you live near a body of water, where roads can become icy in the winter. For snowy roads, non-studded winter tires are a good option.
Black Ice and Hard-Pack Snow
If you have non-studded winter tires, be especially cautious at crossroads and other locations where there may be wet ice or hard-packed snow. On wet or black ice and hard-packed snow, studded tires outperform non-studded winter tires.