Winter tires are needed even when road is clear: BCAA

As B.C.’s South Coast continues to shiver through an arctic deep freeze, the province’s automotive association is reminding drivers that winter tires are needed when the mercury drops, regardless of whether the roads are clear or not.

“Whether there’s snow on the ground or not, the cold temperature does affect how your ties grip the road,” said Joshua Smythe with BCAA’s customer care team.

“Just make sure you’re prepared.”

Smythe’s advice comes after the Lower Mainland saw commuting chaos Thursday after minimal snowfall melted and flash froze across roadways in the area.

A 25-car pile up snarled traffic for hours on Highway 91 in Richmond, causing drivers to be stuck in their vehicles for hours while it was cleared and the roads were salted.

But Smythe says tires aren’t the only thing you should be aware of during the freeze. If your vehicle’s battery is getting old, it may have a tough time cranking over the engine.

“You might find that it doesn’t work when the cold hits the battery. The effect of charging the battery is depleted quite a bit when it’s cold. And there’s more of a demand from the battery.

“If it’s kind of been questionable, the questions will be answered when the temperature drops.”

Smythe also notes that for people who have electric vehicles, they’re not immune to cold temperatures.

“Depending on the type of system, there’ll be a variation of effects, but generally speaking, electric vehicles can lose up to 30 per cent of their range,” he explained.

“When the temperatures are freezing — that’s between we’ll say minus seven and zero — 30 per cent range can be can be quite dramatic.”

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