Stop procrastinating and make an appointment to install your winter tires: CAA-Quebec
The temperature is slowly dropping and that can only mean winter -- and snow -- is on the way.
CAA-Quebec is reminding Quebecers across the province it’s never too early to call your garage and make an appointment to have your winter tires installed.
Too many people procrastinate and are left scrambling to make their appointments at the last minute, the organization notes.
“The key is to be proactive. If you wait, you may not get an appointment for one, two or even three weeks," said Pierre-Serge Labbé, CAA-Quebec vice-president of automotive services. "By planning ahead, you not only make sure you meet the Dec. 1 deadline and stay safe on the road, but you also give garage owners a much-needed break.”
The organization points out installing winter tires early doesn't mean they'll wear out faster.
"Given the shortage of garage mechanics in the province right now, making an appointment makes it easier for your trusted garage or one of our approved auto repair service locations to plan their staffing needs so they can provide the high-quality service you deserve in this busy season," the organization states.
BUT THE DEADLINE'S SO FAR AWAY
CAA-Quebec recommends Quebecers install their winter tires as soon as the temperature drops below seven degrees Celsius for several consecutive days.
The organization, in cooperation with MétéoMédia, estimates these are the best dates to have your winter tires ready to go, based on region:
- Gaspé: Oct. 30
- Gatineau: Nov. 5
- Montreal: Nov. 10
- Quebec City: Nov. 5
- Rimouski: Oct. 30
- Saguenay: Oct. 25
- Sept-Îles: Oct. 20
- Sherbrooke: Nov. 5
- Val-d’Or: Oct. 25
ARE MY TIRES STILL SAFE?
There is a quick trick to find out if your tires will hold up through the winter, according to CAA-Quebec.
"It’s very simple, you just need a quarter," it states. "If you can see the caribou’s nose when you insert the quarter into one of the grooves on your tire, it means that the tread depth is less than 5 mm (6/32 of an inch) and your tires need changing."
You can also use a tread depth gauge to get an exact measurement.
"These are two effective ways of making sure your tires will be safe right until the end of winter," CAA-Quebec notes.
CAA-Quebec's third edition of National Winter Tire Appointment Week takes place from Oct. 4 to 10.
The deadline to have your winter tires installed in Quebec is Dec. 1.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.