November is the time to install winter tires

The President of the Ontario Safety League has a saying that makes it easy to remember when to install winter tires on your vehicle:

"Remember to install winter tires by Remembrance Day," says Brian Patterson. "And you are a fool if you still have them on your car on April Fools' Day."

The Newmarket Bulletin had a chance to speak about winter tires with Shant Ghazarian of Goodyear Mars Tire and Auto Service in Newmarket.

First, Mr. Ghazarian doesn't want us to call them 'snow tires'.

"We prefer to call them 'winter tires,' he explains. "When the temperature drops below 7C these tires provide the best stopping power on cold, wet, or snow covered pavement. All season tires will not have the same stopping ability in an emergency braking situation."

We asked how many kilometers a car can drive on a set of winter tires, but Mr. Ghazarian recommends that safety conscious car owners replace winter tires every 4 to 5 years.

"Winter tires regardless of the kilometers should be replaced every 4 - 5 years of their installations. As rubber gets hard after contact with the winter elements, oil, asphalt, and salt, the tires lose their elasticity and will not create the desired suction effect on cold and snowy roads over time."

When purchasing winter tires, Mr. Ghazarian reminds consumers to look for the snow flake symbol on the sidewall of the tire and ensure that the tire has been approved by the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA).

He also reminds consumers that installing winter tires can save as much as 10% off car insurance rates too.