In news that should surprise no one, Metro Vancouver drivers are more nervous when it comes to driving in winter conditions than drivers in the rest of the province.
The results come courtesy of an Ipsos poll conducted for ICBC. Although 60 per cent of the drivers surveyed said that winter driving conditions put them on edge, 64 per cent of Metro Vancouver drivers felt this way, compared with 55 per cent of drivers elsewhere.
It’s therefore concerning to find that more than one-third of the drivers surveyed — 38 per cent — said they had not yet installed winter tires (the poll was conducted in November 2024). Metro Vancouver drivers were more likely not to have switched to winter tires than drivers in other parts of the province (44 per cent vs. 31 per cent), and the reasons given for not installing them included local weather not being bad enough (36 per cent), not having plans to drive in snow and ice (27 per cent), plans to install them later in the winter (22 per cent), and the cost of winter tires being too high (22 per cent).
Snow blanketed much of the province over the weekend of Feb. 1, including the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island, and Sarah McKinney — ICBC’s senior manager of stakeholder and community relations — had some advice to help drivers feel confident and prepared to handle the white stuff no matter where they live.
“The key to driving in snowy conditions is to drive slow and steady," she said. "Increase your following distance behind other vehicles and avoid sudden movements that could cause your vehicle to skid. Pay close attention as you approach intersections and look for pedestrians.”
It’s all good advice, especially given that among the top concerns of drivers when it comes to winter driving were drivers who don’t reduce their speed for the conditions, and drivers who don’t leave enough room between themselves and others on the road. Some 25 per cent of those surveyed said that their top concern was other drivers’ lack of skill when driving in winter conditions.
Nearly all B.C. drivers (95 per cent) surveyed shared that extreme weather events in recent years have made them more likely to take extra precautions, including checking road and weather conditions before driving (74 per cent), delaying travel until road conditions improve (60 per cent), ensuring vehicle maintenance is done for the change in season (55 per cent), and packing an emergency kit (50 per cent).
To check road and weather conditions before heading out, go to www.drivebc.ca.
