Winter tire rules in effect on B.C. highways starting Oct. 1

As of Friday,B.C. drivers once againneed snow tires to travel on most of the province's highways.

The province requires passenger vehicles using major roadways be equipped with winter tires between Oct. 1 and March 31 or April 30, depending on the route, to account for more hazardous weather.

The annual requirement covers:

• All highways in the North;
• All highways in the Interior;
• Sections of some highways on the South Coast, including the Sea to Sky Highway; and
• Sections of some highways on Vancouver Island, including the Malahat and highways 4, 14 and 28.

Trucks travelling these routes are also required to carry chains.

For many highways, the date is extended until April 30 to account for early spring snowfall. The province said these highways, including mountain passes and rural routes in heavysnowfall areas, are marked with regulatory signs.

Maps of affected highways can be found on the B.C. governmentwebsite.

Look for the snowflake or M+S

Winter tires sometimes called alpine or snow tires are marked with a symbol of a snowflake inside a three-peaked mountain placedon the sidewall of the tire.

Mud and snow tires, marked with an M+S symbol, also qualify as winter tires, though the Ministry of Transportation notesthey are less effective than dedicated alpine snow tires.

The ministry requires winter tires to have tread at least 3.5 millimetres deep. It requires at least two matching winter tires on the vehicle's drive axle, but recommends a matching set on all wheels.

Drivers without proper winter tires in good condition caught driving on designatedhighways can befined $121.

A full list of routes requiring winter tires can be found on the ministrywebsite.