Winter weather is just around the corner, and drivers need to be prepared for snowy and icy conditions.
Motorists are required to have winter tires or carry suitable chains from Oct. 1 to April 30 while travelling on highways designated with winter travel signs.
The best way to prepare is to equip your vehicle with good winter tires, identified with a mountain snowflake symbol that appears on the tire sidewalls.
While winter tires are not mandatory province-wide in B.C., there are many routes that regularly experience severe winter conditions. On these routes, winter tires or chains are mandatory and signs are posted to warn drivers. A map of the designated highways where motorists must have winter tires or chains can be found at: www.th.gov.bc.ca/SeasonalDriving/winter_chains.html.
As more than 60 per cent of all B.C. motorists drive in parts of the province where snow conditions are not common, the ministry is not considering requiring all drivers to equip their vehicles with winter tires.
When planning a trip, drivers can check webcams to find out the weather and road conditions for their route at: www.drivebc.ca
"We encourage drivers who are planning to drive on routes requiring winter tires this season to choose the best tires possible, and to ensure their tires are in good condition," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone. "Tires with the mountain snowflake symbol, which are specifically designed to meet cold weather performance standards, are the best choice for safe travel in winter conditions. These are the tires that I use on my vehicle for safe winter driving."
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