Whether you like it or not, winter is fast approaching, which means winter tire requirements will be needed on many northern B.C. highways.
Road Safety at Work is launching its Winter Driving Safety campaign, recommending drivers to look beyond the minimum legal standard.
It said while M+S (mud and snow) marked tires meet the minimum legal requirement, they’re intended for milder conditions such as rain, slush, or snow that melts quickly.
Winter tires with the three-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol are recommended, as they’re engineered to remain flexible in cold temperatures and provide stronger grip for braking and cornering on cold, wet, snowy, or icy roads.
In poor conditions, they can reduce stopping distance by up to 33 percent compared with other tires.
The organization also recommends drivers to check their tire conditions such as air pressure, looking for uneven wear, missing pieces of rubber, or other damage.
It also said drivers should think about where they travel, the temperatures they will encounter, and the kind of winter conditions they’re likely to face, and to choose tires for those conditions.
The winter tire requirement will kick in on Thursday, remaining in effect through March 31st on many highways, and until April 30 on highways routed through mountain passes or high snowfall areas.
A map of highways requiring winter tires can be found here.
