Starting today, December 15 2008, it is mandatory for Quebec residents to have winter tires on their cars and light trucks. Actually, it is considered that already some 85% of Quebec residents already have winter tires for their vehicles. But why such a law? And might it «snowball» (no pun intended) to other provinces in Canada?
All-season tires are not efficient in the cold
Actually, most people who do not yet have winter tires will tell you they don't need them because they will not drive on snowy roads and they will come out only when the pavement is dry. Are they right? No! First of all, it has already been proven that almost every all-season tire on the market loses its flexibility at 7 degrees Celsius (that's some 46 degrees Farhenheit!). Consequently, they are much less efficient when it gets cold, even on dry pavement. That is why some manufacturers like to call their winter tires «tires for the cold». That means that even if there is no snow or ice, these winter tires will outperform any summer or all-season tires on cold pavement making them a safer choice in winter.
How modern winter tires work
Some might argue that winter tires wear out very fast on dry pavement to which most tire manufacturers will answer that it probably was the case in the past but not anymore today since newer winter tires are made of polymers and other durable products. But where winter tires work so much better than any summer or all-season tires is on ice and wet pavement, even for all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles. Indeed, ice usually has a thin film of water in its top. The design of the newer winter tires includes slices in the rubber called «sipes». These are designed to «suck in» water and allow the rubber to grab the driest part of the ice for better traction. Consequently, such winter tires will also perform as well on wet pavement.
Get them now!
Hard to convince? Quebec is recognized for its harsh winters. But many other Canadian provinces will go through hard winters with or without snow. Ice, cold pavement, cold rain all demand better tires. But when should winter tires be installed? Actually, though Quebec makes them mandatory for December 15, it is better to install them in October. Owners of some of the most current cars or light trucks might think they can push back their «deadline» until a snowstorm is forecast. But they might hit a snag as there is only a limited amount of tires of each size that was produced last spring. And as we speak, there are no more winter tires being produced, manufacturers already switchning to the production of next season's summer and performance tires. That means they might not be able to buy the brand of tires they really wanted. Yet, they might even discover that, in their region, that specific size of tire is sold out.
In other words, if you need winter tires, you should already have them. If not, go for them right now...if it's not too late!
photo:Philippe Champoux
All-season tires are not efficient in the cold
Actually, most people who do not yet have winter tires will tell you they don't need them because they will not drive on snowy roads and they will come out only when the pavement is dry. Are they right? No! First of all, it has already been proven that almost every all-season tire on the market loses its flexibility at 7 degrees Celsius (that's some 46 degrees Farhenheit!). Consequently, they are much less efficient when it gets cold, even on dry pavement. That is why some manufacturers like to call their winter tires «tires for the cold». That means that even if there is no snow or ice, these winter tires will outperform any summer or all-season tires on cold pavement making them a safer choice in winter.
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How modern winter tires work
Some might argue that winter tires wear out very fast on dry pavement to which most tire manufacturers will answer that it probably was the case in the past but not anymore today since newer winter tires are made of polymers and other durable products. But where winter tires work so much better than any summer or all-season tires is on ice and wet pavement, even for all-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive vehicles. Indeed, ice usually has a thin film of water in its top. The design of the newer winter tires includes slices in the rubber called «sipes». These are designed to «suck in» water and allow the rubber to grab the driest part of the ice for better traction. Consequently, such winter tires will also perform as well on wet pavement.
Get them now!
Hard to convince? Quebec is recognized for its harsh winters. But many other Canadian provinces will go through hard winters with or without snow. Ice, cold pavement, cold rain all demand better tires. But when should winter tires be installed? Actually, though Quebec makes them mandatory for December 15, it is better to install them in October. Owners of some of the most current cars or light trucks might think they can push back their «deadline» until a snowstorm is forecast. But they might hit a snag as there is only a limited amount of tires of each size that was produced last spring. And as we speak, there are no more winter tires being produced, manufacturers already switchning to the production of next season's summer and performance tires. That means they might not be able to buy the brand of tires they really wanted. Yet, they might even discover that, in their region, that specific size of tire is sold out.
In other words, if you need winter tires, you should already have them. If not, go for them right now...if it's not too late!
photo:Philippe Champoux
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