Snowfall triggers mad dash for winter tires in Edmonton

The phone has been ringing off the hook at Edmonton auto centres as drivers rush to switch over their tires following some heavy snowfall.

"It's crazy busy right now," said Neal Shymko, owner of Trail Tire in west Edmonton.

Shymko said winter tires have become more popular, and his shop is fully booked for weeks with drivers wanting to replace their summer tires with something with a bit more bite.

"We found that over the years that volume has definitely increased. A lot more people are using winter tires than let's say even five or 10 years ago," he said. "So there are a lot more people looking for that service, and I tell you, it gets busy."

Shymko said winter tires are designed for improved traction when driving conditions deteriorate. Softer rubber doesn't get as stiff in the cold, and deep wide grooves help move snow out and away from under the tires.

"In our climate you should have winter tires," he said. "Especially with the tires that are coming on vehicles these days from the factory, they're just not designed for this climate. They're not designed for this weather."

Drivers have a few options when wintery conditions hit, Shymko said, and winter tires and all-weather tires are both designated for snowy and slippery roads.

"All weather tires (are) kind of a new player to the game," he added. "They are much better than an all-season tire, typically not as good as a true winter tire."

"The true winter tires will typically give you that little extra traction, extra little bite, again especially on ice."

Winter tires range in price from around $200 to $500 dollars per tire, Shymko said, but they last four to five years on average if cared for.

"If you run them in July, well they're not going to like that and they're going to wear more rapidly," he added.

According to the Alberta Motor Association (AMA), making the annual swap to winter tires can help protect your summer or all-season tires from salt and gravel damage, and winter tires should be put on when the average temperature drops below 7 C.

An AMA representative said that some companies, including theirs, will offer policy discounts for drivers using winter tires.

Tires that meet the minimum requirements for snow traction can be identified by a peaked mountain symbol with a snowflake. Both winter and all-weather tires have that designation and will be marked with the symbol.

The government of Alberta said more than half of Albertans own winter tires and Alberta Transportation recommends the practice, but there are no plans to make them mandatory – something Shymko said he would support.

"I think it would be a good step," he said. "I think it would help to decrease the amount of accidents."

More information on winter tires can be found on the Government of Canada website.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nahreman Issa