October brings cooler weather and the need to change tires for highway driving

KAMLOOPS — Now that October 1 has passed, it’s time to break out your winter tires while driving on provincial highways. In particular, if you plan on using the Coquihalla Highway, winter tires are required from October through April.

It’s advised to get tires changed soon before the first snowfall of the year hits so you can be prepared and not have to rush to get them put on, along with many others that procrastinate the yearly task.

“The winter tire in order to get a snowflake rating on it it comes down to the rubber compound,” said Dan Cecchini, Trail Tire Kamloops owner. “I use a good Canadian analogy, like a hockey puck. If you have a hockey puck inside your house, you can squeeze it a little bit. Once it’s on ice, though, it becomes very hard. Winter tires (are made from) a much softer compound, so they don’t freeze. Anything below 7 C, they are still soft, so they allow you a significant stopping distance.”