It’s time to install those winter tires
Even if the law doesn’t require it until Dec. 15, common sense does
It’s a four-letter word that makes many people cringe. With the trees shedding their leaves, pumpkin-spice everything at your local coffee shop and the cooler weather settling in, it’s only a matter of time before the snow hits. According to meteorologists’ reports, the snow is supposed to begin as of next week, and there is no telling how many snowstorms we may see between now and Dec. 15, the deadline for the installation of winter tires. If you’ve already lived through a Montreal winter, you’ll recall the flurry (pun intended) of accidents during the first snow storm as people suddenly have to remember how to drive in the snow. This risk can be reduced by just changing your tires. It’s a simple fact. We Quebecers are fortunate to live in a place where winter tires are mandatory. In the five years I lived just outside of Toronto, I cringed driving through the ice and snow. While I still tried to switch my tires, it wasn’t regulated by law and so the vast majority of drivers did not bother. Think of the kids. I do a ton of driving. I’m often on the road with my most precious cargo, shuttling them to hockey, karate or school. I know it will cost me the same amount of time and energy to get my winter tires changed now versus a month from now. The added advantage, of course, is that it’s a whole lot easier to get an appointment now — or at least it was, until people saw next week’s forecast. Every year I inevitably find myself driving on the day of the first snow storm, and every year my heart aches for the cars that spin out and wind up in ditches. While it may not be possible to avoid every single accident, having the right protection between you and the road definitely helps. As a parent, I scan the weather forecast come mid-October, checking whether my children’s winter boots, hats, mitts and scarves are good for another season. So many other parents do the same. If we pay so much time and attention to something as mundane (but necessary) as knitted wool, why not spend the time and energy to ensure your vehicle is winter-ready? Of course, winter tires don’t eliminate the possibility of an accident, but once temperatures drop below 7 C, or when there is snow or ice on the ground, the rubber in tires hardens up and loses its grip. The added advantage of winter tires is that their treads help to increase their grip and the amount of traction they allow. Also, the rubber in winter tires is specially made to allow for greater flexibility in temperatures as low as minus 40 C, which means added traction on the road. Tires are arguably the single most important parts of your car because they make direct contact with the road. If there’s something wrong with them, it doesn’t matter how expensive a car you’re driving, it jeopardizes the safety and well-being of everyone in your vehicle. Think of it as a public service to yourself and everyone on the road around you. It’s less a function of when it’s legally required — and by the way, as of 2019, the deadline for installing winter tires will move up to Dec. 1 — and more a function of when we as a society prioritize our need to be safe collectively. No doubt the first snowfall will have many people frantically rummaging through their closets looking for the accessories of the season. Leaving a tire change to the last minute is less likely to be successful.