6 Tips to Make Safe Winter Driving a Priority

I love road trips, whether we’re headed out for an hour or eighteen – it doesn’t matter to me. I love cranking the tunes and singing along.  The only downside to road trips is being prepared for tricky road conditions, especially in the winter, when snow and ice like to make an appearance. That is why winter tires are so important.

Tirecraft is proudly Canadian-owned and operated locally by experts in tire and automotive services. The local Tirecraft experts are there to help you and can make recommendations based on your driving style and habits.

6 Tips to Make Safe Winter Driving a Priority

Always consult an expert when it comes to purchasing the right winter tires.  Recently some provincial laws have been updated which require the use of winter tires. I suggest consulting your local driving authority for more information.

Here are my tips to make safe winter driving a priority:

1. Check your tire tread at home using the quarter-test to see if they are safe for another winter.
2. Know the year, make, and model of your vehicle – this will help you find the correct tire size to purchase.
3. Tire Type – for winter driving you need to look for the mountain snowflake or M+S symbol which indicates what the tires are recommended for.
   • The mountain snowflake symbol means a tire has satisfied the requirements set out by Transport Canada.
   • M+S (mud and snow) means the tires are designed to perform better in cold temperatures and snow or mud than standard tires would.Participate in regular seasonal tire maintenance – this includes tire rotation, alignment and balancing.
4. Participate in regular seasonal tire maintenance – this includes tire rotation, alignment and balancing.
5. Before hitting the road, check your tire pressure to ensure proper inflation. It is also the perfect time to check the oil and washer fluid levels.
6. Always travel with a [easyazon_link keywords=”car safety kit” locale=”US” tag=”reamom0b-20″]car safety kit[/easyazon_link] including jumper cables, flashlight, a blanket, first aid kit, candles and anything else to help make an unexpected roadside stop a little more comfortable.

We use winter tires for at least half the year in British Columbia, usually installing them in October and changing them in April, so proper maintenance and storage are important.

Be prepared this season: Make safe winter driving a priority.

Where will your winter road trip take you this year?