Province wants winter tires made mandatory while travelling rural highways
Posted July 2, 2014 4:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – One big element of the provincial government’s highways review could drain your wallet if you head into the Interior during the winter.
The province wants winter tires on all passenger vehicles from October 1st through the end of March on rural highways. The review says carrying chains is no longer good enough.
Bob Gilowski with VSA Highway Maintenance — the company that keeps the Coquihalla safe and clear — says even if it means hundreds of dollars spent on tires that end up rarely used, it’s worth the money.
“The positive aspect as opposed to allowing chains is that a winter tire is on all the time,” he points out. “People will typically put chains on their vehicles when encountering a very worse winter driving condition, then take them off. As driving conditions can change rapidly in high mountain passes, it’s always good to have traction.”
Gilowski adds despite a higher speed on the Coquihalla, you should always drive based on current conditions.
Chains are still acceptable for commercial vehicles.
BC will become the third jurisdiction in North America to require winter tires with the Mountain/Snowflake symbol, which is currently only law in Quebec and Oregon.
The provincial government says public consultation found more than two-thirds of rural winter drivers already put on winter tires.
