I find it interesting how often the top Google results for basic questions are wrong. For example, I googled "tire grip physics" (in an incognito window) to get an explanation of why wider tires give you better grip and the top 6 explanations are wrong or at least misleading.
![This is a good question and one which is commonly asked by students when friction is discussed. It is true that wider tires commonly have better traction. The main reason why this is so does not relate to contact patch, however, but to composition. Soft compound tires are required to be wider in order for the side-wall to support the weight of the car. softer tires have a larger coefficient of friction, therefore better traction. A narrow, soft tire would not be strong enough, nor would it last very long. Wear in a tire is related to contact patch. Harder compound tires wear much longer, and can be narrower. They do, however have a lower coefficient of friction, therefore less traction. Among tires of the same type and composition, here is no appreciable difference in 'traction' with different widths. Wider tires, assuming all other factors are equal, commonly have stiffer side-walls and experience less roll. This gives better cornering performance.
Answered by: [], M.S., Physics teach](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhkNvisWsAA0kFy.png)