BCAA

Winter 2013

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drive smart: Tire Tales All-season treads may not cut it when winter grips the road S taff Sgt. Steve Frayne has a hard time understanding what motivates drivers to set out in winter conditions without installing winter tires on their vehicles. "It doesn't make any sense," says the unit commander of Central Interior Traffic Services in Kamloops, which has jurisdiction over the famously snowbound Coquihalla Highway. Frayne says as many as half of the driving mishaps he's seen when the snow flies can be attributed to drivers gambling on tires inadequate to the task. "We see everything from people stuck on hills to families wrapped around the bumper of semis coming the other way," he says. According to research by Transport Canada, winter tires outperform all-season tires in all categories when there is snow and ice on the road. In addition to improving acceleration from a standing start, they help stop vehicles in a shorter distance and improve stability during cornering. To better understand how winter tires work, try taking a closer look at one. The more aggressive tread design is intended both to bite into snow as well as release it promptly during rotation, so there are always clean treads leading the way. Winter tires also feature numerous slits called sipes, which act like tiny suction cups, gripping the ice and providing even more traction. Are all-season tires a good alternative? Research compiled by the Traffic Industry Research Foundation says no. Winter tires are made from softer rubber compounds than all-seasons allowing them to remain supple at temperatures below -7 C. By contrast, all-seasons are made of harder rubber compounds that become brittle in cold weather and lose traction. When buying winter tires, it's important to look for the winter-tire symbol – a snowflake inside a peaked mountain – on the sidewall. According to Transport Canada, tires marked "M + S" (mud and snow) without the peaked mountain symbol "may provide safe performance in most weather conditions, but are not designed for snow and ice-covered roads." And having four 36 W e s t w o r l d p36-37_Drive_Smart.indd 36 >> winter 2013 tires instead of two is always safer; the Traffic Industry Research Foundation has determined that cars equipped with only two winter tires sacrifice both traction and control. Today's braking systems can also react in unusual ways to differing treads on a vehicle, resulting in loss of control. Some drivers object to the expense of buying winter tires, but Frayne says the argument makes no sense. "If you have winter tires on your car, you're extending the life of your summer tires," he says. In the end, it should be a wash in terms of expense, with the added benefit of safer driving in extreme conditions. And having winter tires just might save B.C. drivers from getting a ticket, at least in Frayne's neighbourhood. So far, B.C. does not have a law in place similar to Quebec's, which requires drivers to use winter tires from December 15 to March 15. But Frayne says that won't protect unfortunates who skid off the road (or worse) from getting ticketed if they're travelling through his district. He instructs his officers to ticket the drivers of any vehicles involved in a mishap that show signs of having inadequate footwear. Forewarned is forearmed. – Ian MacNeill CHAIN GANGS In extreme winter conditions, tire chains can double traction and significantly reduce stopping distance. In British Columbia, vehicles travelling in areas subject to extreme winter conditions are often required to have winter tires or carry chains. However, it is extremely important to ensure that tire chains match the vehicle being driven. Many vehicles have limited clearance between the tires, and vital components such as suspension units, struts and brake lines can be damaged by loose-fitting chains. Also, some manufacturers of all-wheel drive vehicles discourage the use of chains altogether due to the potential for damage to the AWD system; consult your owner's manual before chaining up. It's a good idea to practice installing chains prior to needing them because they can be tricky to get on, especially when the cold winds are blowing. Keep in mind that chains are designed for low-speed travel; at higher speeds they can let go and cause vehicle damage or injury. Studded tires are another option for improving traction and handling, but tires with studs up to 3.5 mm high can only be used on B.C. roads between October 1 and April 30. • — I.M. iStock 13-10-25 10:47 AM

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