Every Canadian can attest to how extreme our winters can be; and if you’re a motorist you likely know how the cold weather that can affect road conditions. Whether it’s dealing with snowstorms, freezing rain, hail or icy road conditions, it can be unnerving driving during the winter.  

Awareness of safe driving is paramount. According to Allstate Canada research from 2017-2022, December (followed by November) is the month with the highest number of collisions. Friday is the day of the week with the highest number of incidents, with more than half of all incidents occurring between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Rear-end crashes are the most frequent reason for collision-related claims.   

 The best way to avoid road headaches is to not drive at all during bad weather. But, if you must drive, consider these preventative measures to help ensure everyone enjoys a safe winter season on our roads. 

Tips for Navigating Wintery Conditions

“Black ice” is a term Canadians know all too well and refers to a thin, nearly transparent layer of ice on pavement that’s difficult to see and treacherous to drive on.    

 “It can occur on a rural country highway, on a nice sunny day, and you see those little snaky snow trails drifting across the road. That’s black ice. All the snow moving across the pavement, the sun melts it, and that can create that thin layer of black ice,” says Brian Hart, a training manager at Young Drivers of Canada. “You really see black ice on overpasses, where the bridge will ice over before the rest of the road will, because it’s elevated, not insulated by the ground underneath. And if you’re in black ice conditions it’s quite easy to lose control of the car.”   

Climate change has also been a contributing factor for more severe weather condition, as mentioned by Hart. So, it’s important that drivers are aware of these conditions and adapt accordingly.   

• Take your time and reduce your speed. You want to leave plenty of time to react in case you lose control on a slippery road. Overall, you should adjust your driving habits, by being more deliberate and careful when manoeuvring the vehicle, and avoiding hard braking and fast turns.  

• Maintain visibility. Make sure you can see and be seen. Always keep your car clear of snow and ice. If visibility on the road is poor, keep the vehicle’s full lighting system active. Pull over and wait if conditions become dangerous.  

• Avoid distractions. Keep your focus on the road, which means no emailing or texting – a rule that should be obeyed all year round.  

• Consider when you should or shouldn’t drive. “Sometimes you put pressure on yourself to go somewhere when you really shouldn’t be going,” Hart says. Check the weather report. Can you put off whatever you’re doing? If you are going, plan extra travel time.  

• Keep a distance. According to Allstate collision data, rear-end collisions are the most common type of collision on Canadian roads. If you are on a multi-lane road, try not to drive beside someone else. Hart says you should “stagger” your vehicle, so if something happens you have room to move the car to the side.  

• Avoid using cruise control. “Because of differing traction, the vehicle may attempt to accelerate or decelerate at inopportune moments, which reduce your reaction time,” says Lewis Smith, manager, national projects, for the Canada Safety Council.  

• Turn off traction control if stuck in the snow. Many cars come equipped with the option to turn on and off the traction control; and by default, it may automatically be on. Traction control is a feature that reduces engine power if the tires have lost grip on the road. If you’re stuck in a snowbank, however, try turning this feature off. It may help you get unstuck. 

• Don’t pass snowplows. The reduced sightlines and the extended blades of these vehicles can lead to serious accidents if you try to pass.  

• Use your mirrors and signals: Be diligent about checking your mirrors at regular intervals and use extra care when checking your blind spot when you change lanes. Also use your turn indicators to show other drivers your intentions. 

• Use some courtesy and common sense:  You can never go wrong by showing some courtesy behind the wheel. Obey the rules of the road; be respectful of other drivers and pedestrians; turn on your lights to remain visible; don’t pass snow plows; and keep in mind that bridges, ramps, and overpasses are likely to freeze first. 

• Drive defensively. It may seem like common sense, however it is worth reminding drivers this winter to drive defensively. That means anticipating dangerous situations, adverse conditions or the mistakes of others when operating a vehicle. 

Prepare a Car Maintenance Checklist

While it’s important to have your vehicle serviced regularly, extra caution should be taken during the winter. If you haven’t already, be sure to create a checklist of items for a certified mechanic to look after. These could include: 

• Installing winter tires. While it’s mandatory in Quebec to have winter tires installed on your vehicle, we highly recommended to have them across the country. While you may think that all-season tires would be as effective, winter tires are built for winter. Cold temperatures can cause regular tires to become too hard; this means that they lose their normal traction, even when there’s no snow on the ground. 

• Check your tire pressure. While on the topic of tire maintenance, it’s also important to check the pressure of your tires as cold conditions can contribute to them losing pressure. The wrong tire pressure can not only mean and increase in gas consumption, but it can also degrade your tires with premature wear. 

• Ensuring that your battery is tested and working properly. Colder weather can seriously impact the performance of your battery, and the last thing anyone would want is their car’s battery to stall on a cold winter’s day. Bridgestone Tires has a great article that discusses how to test and replace a dead car battery.  

• Switch your wiper blades and fluids. In one of our previous articles, we mention that it is recommended to replace your wiper blades every six months – which is fitting for our two major seasons. It’s important that your wiper blades are strong enough to handle the heavy snowfall, freezing rain and hail. Also be sure to have plenty of winter-specific windshield wiper fluids stored in your vehicle.  

• Get an oil check. The purpose of motor oil is to help lubricate parts of the engine. Your engine has a bunch of moving parts to help it function, and when these parts rub against each other, this can cause wear and tear – causing the engine to not work as efficiently and risk freezing. In the winter, oil can get thick with lower temperatures and make it more difficult to properly do its job properly.  

• Check your brake pedals. In the winter, snow and water can build up in your brake pads. As the temperature decreases, the water will freeze in your brake pads causing them to grind and make a squeaking noise according to Toyota Canada. While driving the brakes will heat up to melt the excess ice, however the process of freezing and thawing the ice in your brakes may contribute to long term damage to your brakes. Be sure to have them checked out by your local mechanic.   

• Maintain at least a half a tank of gas. Having enough gas in winter is essential, as insufficient levels can cause trouble. CBC reports that when the air in the tank is warmer than the tank walls, condensation may occur, resulting in water mixing with the fuel. This can freeze into ice crystals and impede the fuel line, causing car sputter or even stopping it from starting. 

Pack an Emergency Preparedness Kit

You want to be sure that your car is packed with essential items if you find yourself stranded at the side of the road. While we have published a detailed list of what to include in your winter emergency kit the key items to remember are: 

• Non-perishable food and water  

• Warm clothing and blankets  

• Salt and/or sand  

• Shovel  

• Warming packs  

• Jumper cables  

• First aid kit  

As we embark on another Canadian winter, why not test your winter driving knowledge to maneuver through the harsher weather conditions. 

Want to test your knowledge on safe winter driving? Take this quiz!  

Disclaimer: This information and the websites referenced are provided for your convenience only and should not be construed as providing legal or insurance advice. Allstate does not control or guarantee the accuracy of any content on any third-party site.  Allstate is not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party site.