A recent study by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation indicates that Canadian motorists don’t seem to understand the benefits of winter tires.

The report – Winter Tires: A Review of Research on Effectiveness and Use – looked at “existing Canadian and international research on the efficacy of winter tires and their potential effects.” Sponsored by the Winter Driving Safety Coalition, the study also explored the public’s perceptions and use of winter tires. According to the study, the majority of Canadian drivers who were non-winter tire users claimed “the extra cost of buying winter tires” was a key factor for their decision.

More frightening was the “belief that all-season and summer tires were sufficient for winter driving in their region, and that their vehicle’s safety features negated the need for winter tires,” the study said.
“The proper use of winter tires is only one aspect of safe winter driving,” explains Coalition member Glenn Maidment , who is also president of the Rubber Association of Canada. “Defensive driving techniques and overall vehicle maintenance and preparedness are equally as important. However, when one link is compromised, the chain as a whole is weakened. That’s why we feel that winter tires should play a more important role in safe winter driving.”