Those tires must have what’s known as an “alpine” symbol, an icon with a mountain and snowflake, on the sidewall indicating they meetinternational standards for winter performance. The law applies only to vehicles registered in Quebec.
Ms. Stockburger said anyone who drives in snow should have winter tires on all four wheels. “It is absolutely worth the investment.”
The electronic safety net
Most vehicles now have anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control.
Anti-lock brakes are designed to automatically pump the brakes and help the driver maintain control when trying to stop on a slippery surface.
Electronic stability control uses sensors to determine if the front or rear of the vehicle is going in a direction that’s at odds with where the steering wheel is aimed. Then, it applies one or more brakes to try to nudge the vehicle back in the right direction.
But drivers shouldn’t be using those regularly, Mr. Cox said.
“If your stability control or your anti-lock brakes turns on, that means you as a driver have made a mistake and the electronic nanny has stepped in to try to save you from that,” he said.
Instead, he said, drivers should view those as sensors. If the driver feels the anti-lock brakes or electronic stability systems engage, it’s a clear sign to slow down because the vehicle is approaching “the edge of available grip.”
And those systems work best with winter tires because they need traction to be most effective, Mr. O’Neil said.
What to do when it goes wrong
“When you do start losing control, you really need to look where you want to go rather than staring at whatever obstacle you might run into.” Usually, Mr. Hanson said, your hands will steer you in that direction.
And, hopefully, out of harm’s way.