Latest News

The Road Safety at Work’s annual Winter Driving Safety campaign has launched with a reminder to drives to prepare their vehicle and adjust habits behind the wheel as the road and weather conditions begin to change.

Photo by Jaana Björk

Winter tires in Metro Vancouver? Here’s why you should use them

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 12:31 PDT, Thu October 30, 2025

—

Leaves aren’t the only thing that change during fall in Metro Vancouver. Your tires and your driving need to change as well, to help save lives

Road Safety at Work's annual Winter Driving Safety campaign has launched with a reminder to drivers to prepare their vehicle and adjust their habits behind the wheel. Even in our mild climate, road and weather conditions can change quickly, making this the most dangerous driving season of the year.

Preparation includes using winter tires. They're legally required from October 1 through March 31 on most highways in BC, including Highway 99 and Highways 3 and 5 near Hope. For passenger vehicles and light trucks, the law applies to two-wheel, all-wheel, and four-wheel drives.

The campaign recommends winter tires even where there's no legal requirement.

“There’s a misconception that they aren't needed in milder climates," says campaign spokesperson Trace Acres. “The reality is that winter tires are engineered to maintain grip as temperatures drop, giving you better traction on slippery roads."

Below 7C, all-season tires harden and lose traction, which can mean longer stopping distances and less control on wet roads. Using winter tires when daily temperatures average less than 7C can make the difference between a safe trip and one that ends in a crash and injuries.

The risk of crashing increases significantly all over BC during winter, no matter how much experience drivers have. To reduce the risk, “our mindset needs to be on reaching our destination safely rather than getting there as fast as we can,” Acres says

Skills fade without practice

Safe winter driving is a skill that can fade without practice, he explains. You’ll get a different feel of your vehicle on slick roads in the cold.

“Your brain may remember what to do but your actions — steering into a skid, braking gently on ice, adjusting speed for reduced traction — may not be as sharp as you need them to be.”

That’s why, in the transition to fall and winter, drivers often find themselves driving too fast for the conditions, braking too hard, or misjudging stopping distances.

To help stay safe, Road Safety at Work advises drivers to adjust by:

Checking current road and weather conditions at DriveBC.ca before you go
Postponing or delaying trips when conditions are unsafe
Slowing down
Giving yourself extra space (at least 4 seconds between you and the vehicle ahead)
Having your lights on at all times

“Refreshing your winter driving muscle memory now can help you react instinctively when you really need it," Acres says.

What to know about tires

If you have winter tires, call your tire shop now to book an installation appointment before busy season really hits.

If you're putting them on, be sure to check their condition. The law requires a minimum tread depth in winter of 3.5 mm. Tires with uneven tread wear or missing chunks should be inspected by a tire technician.

If you’re buying winter tires, know that they’re not all created equal. Tires with “M+S” (mud and snow) on the sidewall meet the minimum BC legal standard. Road Safety at Work recommends tires with the 3-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall, which meet a higher performance standard than basic M+S tires.

Whichever tires you use, make sure they’re properly inflated. Correct pressure is key to traction, and tire pressure naturally drops in cool weather.

Winter is riskier for work drivers

For the hundreds of thousands of BC residents who drive on the job, workplace injury claims related to driving go up roughly 20 per cent in winter, according to WorkSafeBC statistics. Work driving includes everything from making deliveries to calling on clients to running business errands.

Employers are responsible for employee safety, even when drivers use their personal vehicles for work. Employers must provide education and training on their policies and procedures. If you’re unsure about your organization’s winter driving rules, talk with a supervisor.

Road Safety at Work’s annual Winter Driving Safety campaign is a provincial awareness campaign funded jointly by WorkSafeBC, ICBC, and the Ministry of Transportation and Transit. It is supported by the Road Safety at Work Alliance.

For more tips on winter driving safety, visit RoadSafetyAtWork.ca/Winter.