Winter Tire Changeover in Kingston – FAQ, Costs, Benefits & More

If you live in Kingston or anywhere in Ontario you might be used to the winter tire changeover season, but that’s not everything. There are extra steps you need to take other than changing tires for safety and to take care of your car, and in this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about winter tires and explain all you need to know about how to best take care of your car during this time of the year.

Legally, there is no date that you need to change your tires. Since Ontario’s weather can be very unpredictable, the general recommendation is to change whenever the temperature drops below 7 for 7 days, as the rubber on summer tires doesn’t grip the road as well as it should when the temperatures are this low. This usually happens from mid-October to the beginning of November.

Although recommended, winter tires are not mandatory in Ontario yet. The minister of transportation spokesperson Lee Alderson said that “After careful consideration, winter tire use remains at the discretion of Ontario’s vehicle owners due to effective snow-clearing operations and the fact that not all vehicles need to be operated every day under winter weather conditions”

But, if you would like to save some money on insurance costs and will be driving your car frequently during winter, the best and safest option is to do your winter tire changeover when it’s time. To encourage drivers to use winter tires, in 2016 Ontario passed a law stating that all auto insurance providers must give a discount to drivers that install winter tires. The discount amount varies, and the average is 3 to 5%.

If you are taking advantage of that discount, some insurance companies have a date that the winter tires should be installed by. So, it is extremely important to be mindful of that date and check the exact rules with your insurance provider.

Many drivers think of this idea, but using winter tires in warmer temperatures is not recommended. Although many think that this can save them money, it really won’t in the long run. The rubber on winter tires is specifically designed to work when the temperatures drop below 7oC, so the heat makes them wear out way faster and then they will lose their traction so their service life will become much shorter. In the end, you would need to replace your tires way more frequently than you would have to.

You will also end up spending more on fuel, as the resistance of the winter tire will increase in warm weather, so it increases your fuel consumption. Lastly, there are also several impacts on the safety of your vehicle, as your vehicle won’t have the same handling capabilities and the stopping distance is extended. So, you won’t get a crisp response if you need to do an emergency maneuver. Also, by wearing them out more, when winter comes again, the grip and traction won't be performing as well as they should, so it increases your risk of accidents on snowy and icy roads.