Everything you need to know about winter driving preparations
Winter Tires
If you think snow tires are better than all-season tires, you're absolutely right! In terms of road safety, winter tires have proven their worth. But they have to be in good condition.
How can you expect them to bite into the snow if their teeth are missing?
This Winter, Bite into the Snow!
A tire’s teeth are formed by the grooves in the tread. The deeper they are, the more traction you get. In fact, winter tires are specially designed to keep snow from collecting in the grooves. The depth of the grooves, which should be at least 4.8 mm, makes it possible to:
grip snow firmly :
The grooves in winter tires are about 30% deeper, and grip more firmly, than those in all-season tires.
discharge snow and slush quickly :
The design of the tire's surface ejects snow more effectively.
reduce braking distances :
The rubber used to make winter tires is softer, and therefore more flexible and effective in cold temperatures.
The rubber in four-season tires tends to harden when temperatures reach -8 to -10ºC. Fro m -15ºC., it loses elasticity and traction. Winter tires only begin to lose elasticity when temperatures reach -40ºC. A big difference!
accelerate safely
To measure the depth of a tire groove, take a 25¢ piece and place it in the groove with the caribou's head downward. If the rubber does not come up to the animal's muzzle, traction in snow will be inadequate. Check various grooves in different places to detect any uneven wear.
In brief, your tires keep you on the road by biting into the snow. On icy surfaces it’s mainly the softer tread compound of winter tires that prevents your vehicle from slipping.
Keep an Eye on the Pressure
Tire pressure varies by approximately 1 psi (pound per square inch) for each 6°C rise or fall in air temperature. The colder it gets, the more the pressure drops.
Say you keep your car in a garage that is heated to 18ºC and your tires are inflated to 32 psi. At 12ºC your tire pressure will be only 31 psi; at 6ºC the pressure will drop to 30 psi.
Remember too that the best tire can lose up to 1 psi per month. You should always make sure that your tires are inflated to a level that will provide good road handling and maximum traction. The simplest solution is to keep them always at 2 psi above the recommended level.
Tires that are inflated to the right pressure :
reduce fuel consumption
improve road handling
last longer
Check or have the pressure of all four tires checked every month. A drop in pressure of as little as 10% can make driving more hazardous.
Significant Letters and Numbers
The markings on the side of a tire provides a lot of information. This is what is meant by the code P145/80SR14.
P stands for Passenger Car, LT is used on tires intended for a Light Truck.
145 is the tire's width in millimetres. This varies from 145 to 275 mm (5.7 to 10.8").
80 is the ratio between the height of the sidewall and the width of the tread. Most cars use tires with a ratio of 70 to 80. Sports cars use tires with a ratio between 50 and 60.
S is the maximum speed rating. The higher the speed, the less durable the tire. A Q rating is reserved for winter tires.
R for radial
14 represents the diameter of the wheel rim in inches
Rating
Speed
Q
160 km/h
R
170 km/h
S
180 km/h
T
190 km/h
U
200 km/h
H
210 km/h
V
240 km/h
W
270 km/h
Z
More than 240 km/h
Don’t Be Overconfident!
Winter tires that are in good condition are no guarantee that you won’t have an accident. Adjust your driving to weather and road conditions:
Slow down!
Leave more distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Did You Know That...?
Winter tires that are in good condition can shorten braking distance by as much as 25 %
Winter tires retain their elasticity to –40°C
Studded tires are allowed from October 15 to May 1 on vehicles that weigh less than 3,000 kg
ONE tire that is underinflated by 6 psi can increase fuel consumption by 3 %
Pre-winter Tune-up
Besides installing winter tires, your car must be well-prepared to deal with the rigours of winter. Inspecting, checking, getting equipment and carrying out some basic preparations before getting behind the wheel are important winter requirements.
Check:
Motor oil and transmission fluid
Brake fluid, power steering fluid and antifreeze
Operation of the heating and window defrosting system
Windshield washer fluid level
Windshield wiper operation*
Inspect:
Tires, including the spair
Exhaust system
Starting and electrical systems
Headlights, turn signals, hazard light and horn
All belts
Brakes
Battery
Alternator
* Note that windshield wipers with flexible rubber covers won't stick to the glass, improving visibility in freezing rain or hall.
Emergency Kit
Get your equipment
Taking precautions before you leave is essential, but it can't guarantee you won't have any trouble. Be prepared for problems by bringing along an emergency kit. It should contain the following items.
shovel
gas-line anti-freeze
scraper
extra windshield washer fluid
snow brush
flashlight and spare batteries
traction aids
jumper cables
a bag of sand
To keep you warm
blanket
gloves and mittens
matches and candles
boots
scarf and hat
To be seen...
safety emergency flares or other light source (electric lamps, reflectors, etc.)
warning flag (to be placed several meters behind the vehicle)
carbone monoxyde detector
Before each departure:
Ensure that your car is completely clear of snow. Put your snow brush and scraper to use by thoroughly checking the car windows, rear-view mirrors, roof, hood, headlights, and the license plate.
In winter, with the road surface covered with snow or ice, you are almost always in an emergency braking situation. Winter driving courses are given by a number of road safety organizations but, for now, here are some basic tips for safe winter braking.
With Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
Above all, do not pump the brakes. The anti-lock system is designed to stop the wheels locking in an emergency stop. You simply hold the brake pedal down as far as possible, even if you can feel vibration in the pedal. The advantages of anti-lock brakes are that they reduce the risk of spinning out and make it easier to maintain control of the vehicle. On the other hand, stopping distances will be longer on snow or ice than they would be using a traditional braking system. The moral of the story : do not overestimate the power of an ABS system, and remember that the effectiveness of a braking system depends on the state of your tires.
Without Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
To brake effectively, you should gradually increase the pressure on the brake pedal in order to avoid locking the wheels. In an emergency stop you must first take your foot off the accelerator, and then repeatedly press and release the brake pedal in order to keep the vehicle moving in a straight line. This method reduces the stopping distance while helping keep the vehicle under control. You need to find the right balance, however. If you pump the brakes too quickly the wheels will lock, but if you pump too slowly it will take longer to stop.
A good habit to adopt is to keep enough distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you in order to stop safely. On a dry surface, this distance should be:
28 m if you drive at 50 km/h
50 m if you drive at 90 km/h
55 m if you drive at 100 km/h
In order to check if you are complying with this distance, apply the two-second rule . All you have to do is choose a reference point and, when the rear of the vehicle in front of you passes this point, count the number of seconds your vehicle takes to reach this reference point. If it takes less than two seconds, slow down because you are following the vehicle too closely. When the road has patches of snow or ice and gripping is reduced, double and even triple the number of seconds.
Highway Safety Code
The Highway Safety Code requires:
Proper Tires
Section 270 : “Every road vehicle must be fitted with tires that conform to the standards prescribed by regulation.”
Fine ranging from $90 to $200 + $10 fee
Clear Visibility
Section 265 : “The windshield and the other windows of a motor vehicle must conform to the standards prescribed by regulation to ensure good visibility for the driver.”
Fine ranging from $90 to $175 + $10 fee
A Snow-free Vehicle
Section 498 : “No person may dispose of, deposit or throw snow, ice or any other substance upon a public highway or allow any other person to do so or, when driving a vehicle, allow snow, ice or any other substance to fall from the vehicle onto a public highway.”
$60 fine + $10 fee
Slow Down
Section 330 : “The driver of a road vehicle must reduce the speed of his vehicle when visibility conditions become inadequate because of darkness, fog, rain or other precipitation or when the roadway is slippery or not completely cleared.”
$60 fine + $10 fee
Questions to Find Out More
Visit the "Quizzes" section and test your knowledge of winter road safety rules!
