Winter tires required today on some B.C. highways

If you've driven on BC highways during the winter months, you know how precarious the road conditions can be and how important it is to have proper tires.

As of October 1, BC law requires that all vehicles travelling on specific highways have winter tires.

Along with the province, trucking associations are also reminding drivers to prepare for the winter conditions before it is too late.

Gary McLeod is the manager of the Northern BC Truckers Association. He says that most accidents happen around the first snowfall and there have already been sightings of early snowfall on northern B.C. roadways.

"We can get freak snowstorms and freezing rain starting any time," McLeod says.

And if safety concerns aren't enough to make you invest in winter tires, perhaps the fines will be.

If caught on a designated highway without proper tires, you could face a fine of over 100 dollars for either not having snow tires, or not having a proper depth of at least 3.5 mm.

"Tires are actually a pretty cheap investment. It only takes one accident and you're wishing you had the proper equipment," McLeod said.