Winter tire laws have little traction outside Quebec

Quebec has been at the forefront of a number of presumed advances in the march of humanity towards a better world. Universal health insurance, government-subsidized daycare, generous parental leave, collective pension funds, no-fault auto insurance, mandatory winter tires.

That latter one may stick out like a rubber thumb, but the fact is Quebec is a pioneer in the field of forcing citizens to purchase a second set of tires. Since 2008, motorists in Quebec have been required to install winter tires on their vehicles from Dec. 15 to March 15 - the initial law had an earlier deadline of Nov. 15.

Hence, the mad scramble at this time of year as the first lash of snow and cold drives car owners to get their tires switched at garages cranked up to wartime production mode. This seasonal rush is obviously also a bonanza for tire manufacturers and merchants cashing in on government-mandated tire replacement.

Ten years ago, when Quebec adopted the law, good-spirited citizens probably assumed that, recognizing the wisdom and courage of such a measure, all other provinces and territories in this wintry land would have quickly followed suit. Well, no, actually.

In fact, not one single province has made the virage to universal mandatory winter tires. British Columbia has gone part of the distance, requiring winter tires - with the snowflake and mountain symbol - or mud and snow quality also known as all-seasons (or three-seasons, safety-speaking, according to the experts) on vehicles travelling roads in more inclement parts of the province. Vehicles driven on the Lower Mainland, where rain is more of a concern than snow and ice, are exempt.

Some provinces offer incentives to motorists, like insurance deductions, to equip their wheels with tires that stay supple and grippy when the mercury takes a nosedive. That’s the case in Ontario where successive governments have taken the position that forcing people to have common sense when it comes to highway safety is too intrusive and expensive.

Given the reluctance of other provinces to take the plunge, does one conclude Quebecers have been duped and taken for stooges by corrupt officials in the pocket of the tire lobby?

As is the case with most public policy issues, making winter tires mandatory comes down to the question of whether the cost involved is worth the benefit. To put it in human and material terms, what impact has the measure had on the relative loss of life, injury and property damage?

A quick probe into the data reveals very little doubt winter tires do make a significant, measurable difference, a fact every driver in Quebec can affirm as they hit the brakes heading into an icy intersection or turn onto an unplowed road.

The reality is about 90 per cent of Quebecers were already opting for winter tires before the government made it mandatory. The statistic that compelled Quebec to act was that the 10 per cent who did not switch tires caused nearly 40 per cent of all winter weather-related accidents. Since the law came in, such collisions have dropped by about 20 percent, according to Transport Quebec stats.

In the face of the undeniable safety advantage of winter tires in this country, it’s a bit of a mystery why drivers in other provinces so stubbornly shun them. Across Canada, an average 43 per cent of motorists use winter tires. Manitobans are the least inclined to winter tires, with less than 20 per cent of their rides so equipped.

WBeware Ontarians crossing the border with Quebec and immediately careening into a ditch, for less than 40 per cent of their cars have winter tires.

Fact is, who really knows which of your fellow Quebecers, or yourself, has been spared tragedy or calamity by a law that today few grumble about, and maybe actually appreciate? e are currently preparing the organization of our new municipal council with a new mayor at its head, an important moment for the democratic life of our city for the next four years. The Metropolitan Sherbrooke Paratransit Users Group (RUTASM) would like to introduce the new elected officials to the creation of a video recording the 40 years of integration of people with disabilities into society by adapted transportation in Sherbrooke

This video is not an exhaustive history of everything that took place over these 40 years, but the testimonials it records are particularly simple and warm from users benefitting thanks to this important tool for integration into life in society. It's a video made with testimonials that convey the values that we want to see as much as possible reflected in the new elected council.

The 28-minute video can be viewed online at: https://youtu.be/2cvus6bxmtm

RAYMOND DUQUETTE, PRESIDENT FRANCE CROTEAU, COORDINATOR RUTASM

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