If you're wondering whether or not it's time to get your winter tires on – yeah, it's time.
In fact, CAA says it was time two weeks ago.
Quebec imposed a mandatory winter tire law in 2008, forcing drivers to install the tires from Dec. 15 to March 15. Those who ignore it face a minimum $200 fine plus demerit points.
Auto club CAA wants Quebecers to see that date as an extreme, suggesting the temperature should be the best indicator of when to install the tires, not the date.
CAA is suggesting drivers switch their tires over when the thermometer hits 7 degrees Celsius, saying that even if it doesn’t feel too chilly outside, summer tires have less grip on pavement at that temperature.
CAA has worked with meteorologists to determine average temperatures around the province over the last 40 years to establish more realistic snow tire dates for each region: Sept-Iles, for example, has an earlier fall target, whereas Montreal was assigned the latest optimal date in Quebec of Nov. 10.
“Winter came up really early this year, so basically a month ago, it would have really been fine to have winter tires, because you have to adapt to the seasons, you have to adapt about the roads you drive on,” said Pierre-Olivier Fortin of CAA. “For example, if you drive between Quebec City and Saguenay once a week, you should have your winter tires, that's obvious, If you drive a lot during night time when temperatures dare lowered, good idea to have your winter tires early as well.”
