Winter tires: Seeing beyond the snowflake

Still shopping for winter tires? Although it’s mandatory for winter tires in Quebec to have the logo of a snowflake with a mountain on them, that in itself is far from enough to tell you which tires you should pick out and have installed by December 1.

In a report on J.E., an investigative journalism show, CAA-Quebec reminds drivers that the snowflake logo guarantees one thing: that the tires on which they appear are winter tires in accordance with Quebec law, which requires all vehicles to have winter tires from December 1 to March 15.

 “All the snowflake means is that a tire has passed a traction test in medium‑depth snow,” says Sylvain Légaré, a vehicle analyst with CAA-Quebec. “Does the tire have good grip on bare ice? Does it wick that thin layer of water off the tire in an ice storm? Does the rubber become hard and slippery in a cold snap? The snowflake won’t tell you any of that.”

Manufacturers who want to sell their tires as winter tires have to prove that the tires meet the standards set by Transport Canada and the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada. Neither of these bodies tests tires. They leave that to the industry.

How to pick a good winter tire

All this means that drivers need to do their homework and make sure the tires they’re buying are right for their vehicle and driving habits.

 “When it comes to tires, you usually get what you pay for,” says Légaré. “That doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive tires. But tires from solid, well‑known brands use the latest technology and are usually easier to have replaced if there’s a problem. They may even come with a warranty.”

Before deciding on a tire, talk to someone at CAA-Quebec's Automotive Advisory Service, and your local tire specialist, keeping these things in mind:

• If you live in a remote area where the roads are often snowy, snow tires with large outer blocks will provide you with better traction.
• In the city or the suburbs, you’ll need a snow-and-ice tire. These tires are more expensive but they’re designed for maximum grip on black ice and hard-packed snow.
• Spend a lot of time on the highway in a high‑performance vehicle? Winter sports tires offer better performance on dry pavement but are less of a sure thing in a snowstorm.
• If you spend time in the mountains or on poorly maintained roads, studded tires give you optimal traction in the snow and good grip on ice. But they’re noisy on bare pavement.
• Used tires can seem like a great deal, but they’re a risky proposition. Don’t buy used tires from anyone other than a trusted dealer who can tell you, and certify, how old they are (tires that are more than six years old can start to crack), how much tread they have left, and whether they’re evenly worn. Remember: if you’re going to make it safely through the winter, the tread on your tires needs to be at least 6/32 in. thick when you have them installed at the start of the season.

Winter tires don’t just give you better traction on ice and snow. They also allow you to brake quickly and steer true when you turn, even in major cold spells.