By Sgt. Laurie Jalbert

I recently was out and about in town and I again was asked this most common question for this time of year.  Do I need snow tires?  Is it the law? The answer to that is a rather wishy washy yes and no.

There is no specific law in British Columbia like there is in Quebec that mandates winter tires.  Part of the problem with B.C. is that we have such varied terrain and weather patterns.  In the Lower Mainland you are better off with Gore-Tex than a down jacket but you would happily trade when you make your way out of that area into the rest of B.C. where winter feels like winter. It is the same with tires. In the Lower Mainland you can very likely breeze through most winters without them.  But for the rest of B.C. they do make a difference.

So where does the yes come in? There is a section under the Motor Vehicle Act that requires that you abide by signs that control traffic. Section 125.  The fine is $121.  Essentially that is the section that you could be ticketed under if you pass one of those black and white signs that say that you have to chain up or have winter tires beyond this point.  Essentially those signs commence in Hope and there are 125 of them around the Province of B.C.  Does that mean that we will be running tire check stops?  The resources that such an undertaking would use just doesn’t make sense. Having said that, if you are on a winter pass and rear end someone and don’t have winter tires, you could be ticketed.

So let’s go back to basics. If your tires say M + S then you have all seasons, mud and snow tires.  If your tires have a picture of a mountain with a snowflake on it then you are good to go where there are mountains and snowflakes, simple as that. The folks that manufacture these tires are supposed to provide a tire made of the appropriate material that does not freeze and harden in severe low temperatures.  I have also heard that the cheaper end of the scale of these tires don’t differ much from M + S tires so do your research.  You can have a look for yourself at how well winter tires work by going to www.drivesmartbc.ca/driver-training/video-winter-braking-tips

Now let’s talk about common sense. Shockingly enough there are naysayers to the effectiveness of winter tires and they do make some valid points in their arguments against winter tires.  Lots of folks have never purchased winter tires and the point can be made that people with winter tires will think they have been touched by God himself and are impervious to anything that Father Winter can throw out there. That of course is not the case.

We see the same things with folks who run around in four-wheel drive and think that because all their wheels are engaged, they are impervious to falling off the road. One look at the ditches in a storm proves they are wrong as well. How well the roads are cleared is another consideration that may trump even the best tires and when the snow is falling like mad it is hard for the road clearing folks to keep up.

Another point that is brought up is that the driver skill level has much more of an outcome than does the use of winter tires. These are all good points.

However, the bottom line here is to realize that you want the best possible safety equipment when you are in conditions that are demanding.  In the Kootenays we have early darkness, extreme cold, quickly changing weather conditions, sharp changes in terrain, winding roads, and critters that like to jump out in front of vehicles.  It doesn’t get much more challenging, so why wouldn’t you want to give yourself the best possible advantage?

In a braking situation, winter tires will stop your vehicle in up to 25% less pavement than all seasons will and believe me when the backside of someone else’ vehicle is approaching the front side of yours, despite your best efforts, that is where the rubber meets the road…so to speak… and so we hope and every bit of friction you can get is just a really good thing!

So…should you get snow tires? Yes, of course you should, unless you are one of those folks who wears gore-tex jackets in winter weather.  It just makes sense to have the best equipment for the conditions that you drive in.  Is it okay to have just two snow tires? That is not illegal but any tire expert will tell you that mixing tire types of any kind will reduce your steering and braking ability as different kinds of tires grip differently.

Having said that, the very best thing to do in winter is to slow down and drive to the conditions, understand the limitations of your own abilities and assess the condition of the roads and how much you really need to be on them.  Also…slow down… maybe I mentioned that one already but it is speeding relative to road conditions that gets people into trouble and there is most assuredly a ticket for that one.

This is not a legal issue. This is a common sense issue.  It is the same as driving with cell phone in hand. We have a law for that now but it is disheartening to realize that we have to fine people for getting behind several thousand pounds of force hurtling down the road so that they won’t decide to take their eyes off the world that is hurtling past them at 100 km/hour and decide to push teeny weeny buttons on a little tiny screen so that they can be sure the milk and bread get picked up. Use your noggin…what is your life worth to you? That is what this is about; it is about you getting home safe and sound at the end of your day.  It will make your day and it will make ours here at the RCMP as well.

Enjoy winter and drive safe.

Sgt. Laurie Jalbert, Kimberley RCMP Detachment

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