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WINTER DRIVING

You don’t have to live at the North Pole to benefit from winter tires. If you frequently encounter snow or ice, or if the temperature is consistently below freezing, well, you may want to think about moving. However, if you like that kind of weather, your tires are going to need the extra grip and turning capabilities that only winter tires can deliver. Even if you have 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, you still need winter tires on the front and back to combat the elements and stay safe.
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WINTER DRIVING TIPS

  • Driving safely in winter conditions requires knowledge, skill and four winter tires with proper tread.

  • Drive with two hands. Always.

  • Before turning, slow down while travelling in a straight line.

  • While turning, maintain a slow and regular speed. If you accelerate suddenly, your tires could lose traction.

  • While turning, don’t make any sudden steering wheel movements.

  • Only brake in a straight line before the turn, and do so gradually. Do not brake during the turn.

  • Increase your following distance from other cars significantly.

  • If your wheels lock and slide, release the brake pedal to recover traction, then slowly brake again.

  • Try to avoid changing lanes in slush. It’s safer to change lanes when slush is not on the road.

  • If using chains, check for proper clearance between the tire and the vehicle, as well as the clearance between dual tires.

Frequently asked questions

BFGoodrich answers your most asked questions.

FAQ

Slow down before you need to. Brake in a straight line before entering a corner, never during it. Increase your following distance substantially, well beyond the dry-road gap. Make every steering, throttle, and brake input smooth and gradual. Keep both hands on the wheel. These work with whatever grip your tires have available.

Yes. All-wheel drive and four-wheel drive help you accelerate on slippery surfaces. They do nothing for stopping or turning, both of which depend entirely on tire grip. A front-wheel drive car on four winter tires will out-brake an all-wheel drive vehicle on all-seasons on ice, every time.

When daily temperatures consistently approach 7°C. In practice that means early to mid-November for most of the country. In Quebec they are legally required from December 1 to March 15, and shops fill up fast in November, so booking three weeks ahead is sensible. In BC, designated highways require them from October 1.

Ease off the accelerator without braking hard, look where you want the vehicle to go, and steer there smoothly. If the rear is sliding out, steer gently in the direction it is sliding. If the front is pushing wide, ease off and wait for the front tires to regain grip before adding more steering. Sharp corrections make both worse.

A thin transparent layer of ice that looks like wet pavement, most common on bridges, overpasses, shaded sections, and early mornings after a thaw and refreeze. You often cannot see it. Reduce speed in those specific locations before you reach them, keep inputs smooth, and if you feel the vehicle go light, do not brake or steer sharply.

No. It creates a traction imbalance between axles that produces unpredictable handling in emergency braking and cornering. In Quebec it is also illegal, since all four tires must carry the 3PMSF symbol during the mandate period. Four matching winter tires is the only safe configuration.

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