Driver tools
From October through April, the mountain passes decide the schedule. Here is the law, and here is what keeps drivers upright.
The law
This is a plain-language summary, not the regulation. The signs posted on the highway govern, and the requirements change. Confirm the current rules with the Province of BC before you travel.
Winter tire and chain signs must be obeyed from October 1 through April 30. On select highways that do not run through mountain passes or high-snowfall areas, the requirement ends March 31 instead. The signs on the road are what govern.
Vehicles in this range must carry chains or an acceptable traction device, unless they are running winter-rated tires carrying the 3-peaked mountain and snowflake symbol or the M+S symbol. Cable chains, automatic chains, wheel sanders and textile tire covers are accepted alternatives at this weight.
Tractor-trailers and other vehicles at or above 11,794 kg LGVW are required to carry steel link chains on most major highways. Cable chains and textile covers do not satisfy the requirement at this weight.
When a chain-up sign is lit or an officer directs it, the chains have to go on. Enforcement is carried out by Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement and the RCMP throughout the winter period.
On the road
Clear all lights, mirrors, marker lamps and the full windshield — not a porthole. Knock ice off mud flaps and the fifth wheel, and check that your chains are actually in the box and untangled.
Use the designated chain-up areas. Pulling over on a shoulder in a snowstorm to fight with chains is how drivers get hit. If you are thinking about chaining up, you are already past the right moment.
On packed snow or ice, stopping distance can be several times what it is on dry pavement. Leave room to stop without braking hard, because hard braking is what jackknifes a trailer.
The most dangerous surface is not −20°C — it is the thaw-freeze band right around 0°C, and bridge decks and shaded curves freeze first. Black ice does not look like ice; it looks like wet pavement.
Slow down before the corner, not in it. Sudden inputs — steering, braking or throttle — are what break traction. Descend mountain grades in a gear low enough that you rarely touch the service brakes.
Extra food and water, warm layers and boots, a charged power bank, a shovel, traction aid, flashlight and a working set of chains with tighteners. A closure can hold you on a pass for many hours.
No load is worth a rollover. If visibility is gone or the road is glare ice, park it somewhere safe and tell dispatch. If a carrier pressures you to keep running in unsafe conditions, that is exactly what our Complaint Cell is for.
The Coquihalla, Rogers Pass, the Pine Pass and Highway 3 can close with little notice. Know where you would stop, and top up before you climb rather than after.
No load is worth a rollover. If a carrier is pushing you to keep moving when the road is not safe, that is exactly what the Complaint Cell exists for — and it is confidential.