BCAA Shares Winter Driving Tips for Drivers to Stay Safe on the Road

BURNABY, BC, Jan. 30, 2025 /CNW/ - With snow forecast for regions of British Columbia, BCAA reminds everyone to brush up on their winter driving knowledge and ensure they and their vehicles are ready to stay safe on the roads.

Every winter, BCAA's emergency roadside assistance team helps thousands of drivers on the road and when harsh weather hits, calls to BCAA for help can spike by 50 per cent. With increasingly unpredictable winter weather, it's more important than ever to prepare for the conditions and drive safely.

As British Columbians have seen in the past, weather can change in an instant. Drivers can leave home in good conditions and have them change along the way. BCAA's Josh Smythe, Automotive Manager, strongly recommends following the forecast closely and not venturing out if you don't feel confident or it isn't an essential trip. He says many of the calls BCAA gets are from experienced drivers who get caught in unexpected weather. 

"Each winter, we see first-hand the challenges that drivers experience," says Smythe. "We know that driving in cold weather and snow can be tricky but planning ahead and driving for the conditions are the most important things you can do to stay safe."

Beyond snow, cold temperatures, heavy rain, ice, and fog can also cause issues for vehicles and drivers. "Some of the most common roadside emergencies we see in winter weather are cars sliding off the road or getting stuck," says Smythe. "Additionally, dead batteries, frozen car locks and flat or underinflated tires are issues that we see frequently." 

BCAA advises all drivers, no matter how experienced, to prepare for the conditions and review tips for how to drive safely on winter roads.

BCAA Winter Driving Tips

Prepare

1. Get your car prepared. Ensure your winter tires are properly inflated and in good condition with adequate tread depth. Winter tires are needed below seven degrees Celsius.
2. Make sure crucial car parts are working. Before venturing out, check your car's brakes, headlights, brake lights, and windshield wipers, and top up fluids like winter-grade windshield washer fluid.
3. Plan your route. Check resources like DriveBC to see live road conditions and to avoid the steepest hills or unplowed streets or parking lots as much as you can. If you're heading out of town, download your trip plan so you can access it even if there's no cell service.
4. Have a roadside emergency kit. Keep winter driving emergency items in your vehicle, including: a shovel, a windshield scraper and brush, a flashlight with fully charged batteries, highly visible winter outerwear, warm clothes, winter boots, gloves, a blanket, roadside equipment (such as cones and battery jumper cables), a supply of non-perishable food and water, and a spare container of winter-grade windshield washer fluid.

Driving

1. Clear snow and defrost your windows fully. Before driving, clear snow from your car and clear enough of a path to get your car out safely. Also ensure your windows are fully scraped or defrosted for visibility. BCAA responds to many calls from drivers whose cars got stuck in driveways, in snowy roadside parking spots, or on unplowed side streets.  
2. Slow down and match your driving to the conditions. In poor weather or on snowy or icy roads, make sure you slow down and leave more room between you and the vehicle ahead.
3. Use car technology sparingly. Relying on technology built into today's vehicles doesn't guarantee safety when winter weather hits. Automated features such as adaptive cruise and emergency braking are designed for ideal conditions. When conditions are poor, override automatic light settings to turn on your headlights (even during the day) and don't use automated features like cruise control.
4. Check your tire pressure often. When the weather gets colder, air pressure decreases, which can leave your tires underinflated. Check the pressure using a tire gauge and reinflate as necessary.
5. Slow Down and Move Over. Expect emergency services and roadside crews to be out in full force helping to clear roads, assist stranded drivers, and more. BCAA reminds drivers to give safe space for roadside crews by slowing down and moving over when they see blue, red, or amber lights. It's not only the law in BC, but vital to ensure everyone stays safe.

About BCAA
Driven by its purpose to move British Columbians forward, BCAA (British Columbia Automobile Association) is a long-standing BC Top Employer (Mediacorp) and provides over 1 in 3 B.C. households with industry leading mobility and protection services including Membership, Insurance, Evo Car Share, Evolve E-Bike Share, BCAA Auto Marketplace and Auto Service. BCAA invests in programs and initiatives to make a positive impact by protecting the people and province of BC, recognizing that the place we call home is all of ours to protect. BCAA holds itself accountable to its purpose by setting goals related to its impact on People, the Planet and Prosperity, and sharing results in its annual Impact Report.

SOURCE British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)

For further information or to set up an interview, please contact: Stephanie Thatcher, BCAA / Evo, 604-992-0253, [email protected]; Keiko Jacobs, BCAA / Evo, 604-290-6082, [email protected]