Use Winter Tires or Carry Chains
November 5th, 2009The province of British Columbia has not yet mandated that true winter tread tires be used during the winter months on all highways. However, one can only legally operate in the ice and snow using all season or summer tires if they are not traveling on posted highways or are carrying tire chains that are the appropriate size and type for the vehicle. This does restrict the use of all season tires in most areas of the province.
A posted highway is one that is marked with a sign advising motorists that they must use winter tread tires or carry chains once they have passed the sign.
For the purposes of the sign, a winter tire is one that is advertised or represented by its manufacturer or a person in the business of selling tires to be a tire intended principally for winter use. An all season tire is designed to be a compromise and operate in both summer and winter. It is not designed principally for winter use. Only those tires displaying the mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall are winter tires that fit this definition.
Should you choose not to follow the advice on the sign, police may prevent you from traveling further until you are in compliance. They may also choose to issue a traffic ticket that carries a penalty of $121 and 2 points, or about the price of a good winter tire or set of chains.
Tags:Behind The Wheel, tire chains, winter driving, winter tires
About the Author
Cst. Tim Schewe (Ret) is the author of the Behind The Wheel column. He has been writing the column for most of the 20 years of his traffic enforcement service in the RCMP. In January 2006, Schewe retired from the force and resides in Vancouver Island. You can visit his website at http://www.drivesmartbc.ca/
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Winter tires FTW!
I always suggest winter tires instead of all-seasons. The traction is supirior!
I feel very much like a hypocrite this year (and this year only) because I will be travelling on all-season rubber. Oops!
When I read things like this I feel so blessed not to live in a place were in winter I have to still worry about the snow and having to put the necessary equipment on my wheels in order to get for one place to the other.
I don’t agree I got a Jeep Wranger 4 dr 4×4 and i have all seasons and i never get any problems in snow. People just need to drive better.