Who needs them?

Some drivers don’t realize that winter tires provide better control for all vehicles – even 4x4s - on snow and ice covered roads . Cars, SUVs, pick-ups and light trucks handle better in snowy or icy conditions when equipped with four winter tires. Winter tires can help you get a good grip on the road in difficult driving conditions.

All-season versus winter tires

• Although all-season tires are good under most conditions, they may not be suitable for the harshest winter weather.
• At lower temperatures, standard tire compounds tend to lose elasticity, which results in reduced traction.
• Winter tires are engineered of specialized compounds that maintain elasticity in lower temperatures for better traction.
• Modern winter tires offer up to 50% more winter traction than all-seasons.

A better bite

• Winter tire tread designs have larger grooves and tread blocks that grip the road better to avoid sliding in snowy, icy or slushy conditions.
• Tiny razor-like sipes or cuts in winter treads provide a good bite into ice and snow to help avoid sliding.
• All season tires start losing it at 7° C. Nordic maintains gripping power to -35° C.

Installation and Safety

Change your tires before it snows Prepare your car, pick-up or SUV for unexpected snowfalls by changing over to winter tires in October or early November.

• If you need to brake unexpectedly and don't have ABS brakes, avoid hard braking. Give the brake pedal a few soft taps rather than one hard push to avoid skidding.
• Climb hills in the highest possible gear to minimize the changes of losing traction and spinning your wheels.
• When driving downhill, put your vehicle in a low gear. If you decide to change to a low gear while descending a hill, do it very gently to prevent sliding.
• Don't wait until you hit that first patch of black ice to install your winter tires. As soon as the temperature drops below 7° C you should consider changing your winter tires in order to benefit from the increased traction, braking and handling they provide.

Four tires versus two

For maximum safety, it is strongly recommend that you install four winter tires at the same time.

• In the province of Quebec, it is law that winter tires be installed on all wheels of passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs and light trucks) during the winter season effective December 15th until March 15th.
• Even if you drive an SUV or live where the streets are cleared of snow regularly, installing winter tires on all wheel positions will improve surface grip in every type of road condition below 7° C.

Monitor tire pressure

• Proper tire inflation is a critical part of tire care and should be checked monthly.
• For every 5° drop in temperature, tires lose one pound of air pressure, so it’s important to monitor tire pressure for fluctuations.
• Be sure to check pressure when tires are cold, not after extended driving periods.
• Properly inflated tires also ensure optimum fuel efficiency.

The importance of winter rims

• New winter rims will help protect your existing rims from winter salt and snow
• Winter rims also help minimize wear and tear because you won’t have to mount and dismount tires when you change from all-season to winter tires and back again.

Learn more about winter rims. Click here

Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada advise motorists to think about safe driving in winter. Snow Tires marked with the pictograph of a peaked mountain with a snowflake meet specific snow traction performance requirements, and have been designed specifically for use in severe snow conditions. If you intend to drive in severe winter conditions, install four winter tires that meet the snow tire designation of your vehicle. These snow tires will assist you to control your vehicle in slippery conditions.