Is it time to make winter tires mandatory?

[CroFlames]

I love when the government tells me what to do.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

An insurance discount for having winter tires would seem like the better way to go.

This. I never understood why insurance companies give you discounts for alarm systems yet using winter tires nets nothing. I would imagine that using winter tires would save them a lot more in accident reduction than an alarm system thefts. Offering discounts is a nice incentive for those that have the resources to outfit their cars better in the winter. Way too many people driving around on tires that aren't proper for the current conditions.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I love when the government tells me what to do.

Especially when it comes to driving. Mandatory license, registration, insurance and now this??

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

An insurance discount for having winter tires would seem like the better way to go.

It's interesting that this hasn't occurred. Attracting a better class of drivers should be more profitable for an insurance company. The issue might be one of compliance. What happens if you have the winter tire discount and aren't using them on the specified dates and get in an accident?

Would you be subject to driving without valid insurance if you had the discount and didn't have the winter tires?

As an aside if we did a poll of do you wear a helmet when biking and do you use winter tires I suspect wearing a helmet would win despite the fact that winter tires increase your safety by a far greater amount.

So they should be mandatory because people are terrible assessers of risk and don't bare all of the consequences for their decision not to use winter tires(ie traffic delay and injuring others).

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Similar to how people without kids don't

Yes, it's soul crushing.

And really, people without winter tires should be taking the bus. Climate leadership!

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

Especially when it comes to driving. Mandatory license, registration, insurance and now this??

Don't forget stupid seatbelts.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

A mandatory winter driving course would be more useful.

Do you really think you could get a 17% reduction in collisions from a 4hr training course?

Also here is a link to a neat study saying driver education of new drivers doesn't work. Not perfectly relavent but still interesting

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...v008p00ii3.pdf

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

I love when the government tells me what to do.

They tell you what to do ALL the time.

[Hockeyguy15]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

I'm all for it - using them reduces collisions (based on those quebec numbers) and we get enough snow events for them to be worthwhile. Another benefit that others have no mentioned is less productivity lost with accidents clogging the roads. I personally was over 30 minutes late to work; multiply that by a couple hundred thousand people driving and the lost man hours add up pretty quick.

I also don't buy the cost as being an issue. As others have pointed out, having winter tires basically doubles the lifetime of both your summer and winter tires. Also, considering most people are spending $10-20k+ on their vehicles, I find it hard to argue that the extra $1k or so for winters with rims would break their bank. If the tires were mandatory, just add that to the cost of selling and car and include it in their loans so the cost is spread out over time.

Honestly, people spend so much money on their vehicles, but when it comes to the one thing that actually touches the road, extra costs are suddenly too much to bear. So odd.

Honest question though, are you going to stay 30 mins late to make up for your missed time?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GGG

It's interesting that this hasn't occurred. Attracting a better class of drivers should be more profitable for an insurance company. The issue might be one of compliance. What happens if you have the winter tire discount and aren't using them on the specified dates and get in an accident?

Would you be subject to driving without valid insurance if you had the discount and didn't have the winter tires?

As an aside if we did a poll of do you wear a helmet when biking and do you use winter tires I suspect wearing a helmet would win despite the fact that winter tires increase your safety by a far greater amount.

So they should be mandatory because people are terrible assessers of risk and don't bare all of the consequences for their decision not to use winter tires(ie traffic delay and injuring others).

They would just need a clause that you pay 10x the deductible or something if you get in an accident and don't have them on.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GGG

Do you really think you could get a 17% reduction in collisions from a 4hr training course?

Also here is a link to a neat study saying driver education of new drivers doesn't work. Not perfectly relavent but still interesting

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...v008p00ii3.pdf

Probably. Most people have no idea of the concept of safe following distances or giving yourself extra time to stop in icy conditions. Drivers who bring their license from snow-less countries may never have been introduced to how to handle a vehicle safely on ice. I'm sure we could get a 10% drop with some basic education.

[pylon]

This is a touchy subject with me.

In the winter, when wrecked cars get dragged in here in the winter, probably 80% of them have summer/all-seasons on them.

As someone who works in this business, and gets to drive identical cars, back to back, with all seasons, and dedicated snow tires, I can tell you how dramatic of a difference they make. Even good drivers have lapses. And snow tires can be the difference between 5 extra feet of stopping distance to save a major wreck.

The other factor a lot of people forget. If someone ahead of you slams on their brakes on ice, and they have top end snow/ice tires, and you do not. There is no amount of drivers skill on the face of the earth that will close the gap. Unless you are a Jedi and can harness Force magic. You are done, and you are at fault. I don't care if you are Michael Schumacher or Mario Andretti. You are rear ending the car ahead of you.

Don't be cheap. Buy snow tires. The compound and pattern technology nowadays it amazing, and there are sets that almost perform like you are on dry pavement on ice.

And for those saying "Some people cannot afford them." There are tons of cheap used sets on Kijiji. And for that person that can't afford 3-400 now, how are they going to manage an insurance bill that is 2000 a year more? And also it actually doesn't cost more. Since you are effectively doubling the tire replacement cycle for both sets.

If anyone out there is skeptical about the difference they make. I invite you down to our dealership to do a back to back comparison on an identical car. I don't care if you buy a car from us, or the tires. I look at it as a public service to get people on snow tires for the benefit of the people you are endangering by not having the best possible safety feature you can equip yourself with in the winter.

[stampsx2]

No it's absolutely not time to make winter tires mandatory. It can be mandatory for people with poor driving records. Winter tires give drivers a false sence of security. The best way to be a safe driver is to be a defensive driver.

Insurance companies don't reduce rates for winter tires. I think they would know if winter tires were to reduce claims. If i'm forced to get winter tires for safety then insurance should be forced to reduce my rates.

The answer is no to winter tires.

[Ashasx]

Does it really cost a lot of money?

If you are using one set of tires year-round, you're just going to wear them out sooner, and you'll have to buy a new set sooner. If you use two different sets for summer and winter, yes, you have to buy two sets, but they won't wear nearly as quickly.

[Weitz]

If someone buys them for me and stores them in the summer then I am in.

Otherwise they are not needed.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

Does it really cost a lot of money?

If you are using one set of tires year-round, you're just going to wear them out sooner, and you'll have to buy a new set sooner. If you use two different sets for summer and winter, yes, you have to buy two sets, but they won't wear nearly as quickly.

That's why I own 4 pairs of shoes.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

No it's absolutely not time to make winter tires mandatory. It can be mandatory for people with poor driving records. Winter tires give drivers a false sence of security. The best way to be a safe driver is to be a defensive driver.

Insurance companies don't reduce rates for winter tires. I think they would know if winter tires were to reduce claims. If i'm forced to get winter tires for safety then insurance should be forced to reduce my rates.

The answer is no to winter tires.

Wrong. 100% wrong.

Just because people have them, does not mean the automatically drive like ass hats. I have also seen people buy performance cars with frikking Z rated tires, that have less than zero grip in the winter, and run them in the winter against everyone's recommendation. Including the tire manufacturer where it says right on the sidewall 'not intended for winter use'.

And that is the guy that says "I'm such a rad awesome driver, I don't need snows." That guy is a frikkin tool shed.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by pylon

This is a touchy subject with me.

...claims of winter tire benefits...

Oh look, the Big Tire Lobby is here to convince us all. That's it, if Big Tire is for it, I'm against it.

[MoneyGuy]

At first glance I'd say yes absolutely make them mandatory and you get an insurance discount but there are many people now struggling paying their bills as it is (albeit wasting money on smokes, alcohol and other crap they can't afford). Add the costs of winter tires and it would be a huge hardship for some.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

An insurance discount for having winter tires would seem like the better way to go.

I can't believe it isn't already a thing. I also can't believe that insurance companies don't require a certain tread depth on tires. You write your car off in a winter collision with bald ass all seasons? No insurance for you! TFB. Take the bus, as Notley would say.