Ready or not, winter tire season starts this week in British Columbia.
Provincial law requires vehicles to have winter tires when travelling on most highways from Oct. 1 through March 31.
They are required until April 30 on select mountain passes and high-snowfall routes.
“If you look at the West and East Kooteney- all the highway routes are designated winter tire roots, some of them a little bit longer than others, so for example, Highway 3 from Osooyoos through to the BC-Alberta border- the winter fire mandate is in effect to April 30, whereas some of the other routes in the area- Highway 6 and Highway 3A- the winter tire mandate is in effect but only until March 31,” said Trace Acres, spokesperson for Road Safety at Work’s annual Winter Driving Safety campaign.
“The best thing is to watch those signs, they’ll say how long the winter tire mandate is in effect.”
Safety experts say it’s also important to check your tires’ condition before installing them.
“Worn or damaged tires can be just as dangerous as no winter tires at all,” said Acres.
“A few minutes checking tread and condition can make the difference between stopping safely and sliding into a crash,”
The law requires a minimum tread depth in winter of 3.5 mm.
WorkSafeBC (WSBC) says cracks, bulges, missing chunks, or uneven wear are all signs that a tire should be replaced or inspected by a technician.
WSBC said it’s also important to make sure your tires are properly inflated so they get good traction, noting tire pressure naturally drops in cooler weather.
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) notes that if you get in a crash where winter tires could have helped, not having them may affect whether, or how much, you are at fault.
