Prince George residents heading north, south, east or west on Highways 16 and 97 need to have their winter tires on, starting Oct. 1.
Winter tires are required on highways in northern B.C. from Oct. 1 to April 30 each year, except for the area west of Terrace where the requirement ends on March 31. Drivers caught with all-season or summer tires on the highway can be fined $121.
“Winter tires provide better traction and stopping performance than summer tires in cold temperatures and on wet, snowy, and icy roads,” a statement issued by Road Safety at Work on Monday said. “Traction may be the difference between safely driving on winter roads and being involved in a serious crash.”
To meet the regulations, winter tires must be in good condition with a minimum tread depth of 3.5 mm. Winter tires are marked with a three-peaked mountain and the letters “M + S” meaning “mud and snow.”
Driving with chains on summer or all-season tires is not considered an acceptable substitute on B.C. highways.
