Winter Tire Mandates: Should Every Province Have One?

The government has required seat belts, ABS, and stability control in cars and trucks for years. Even back-up cameras have been mandatory since 2018, so why aren’t winter tires? Winter tires are proven to reduce crashes and save lives, so why isn’t there a national winter tire mandate? Should there be one? We take a look at winter tires and one of the biggest dirty words of the last three years.

Right now, only Quebec tells drivers that they have to use winter tires during the winter months. British Columbia requires it on select roads and highways during the winter driving season, allowing drivers to make their own decisions in the parts of the province where snow and ice are less common.

Quebec’s mandate a big success

Quebec launched its mandate in 2008 and has made a few changes to it over the years. Before the introduction of the law, officials in the province estimated that 90 percent of drivers were already using winter tires. After the law, the figure climbed to around 95. Quebec saw that the 10 per cent of drivers using all-season tires in the winter were involved in 33 percent of winter crashes. …

Source: Wheels.ca