Sixty-five per cent of drivers outside Quebec use winter tires, while 35 per cent of drivers outside the province believe all-season tires will do the job just fine, according to a new Leger survey.
The survey was commissioned by the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC), which recently released its 2020 Canadian Consumer Winter Tire Study.
“Canadian drivers have spoken and our study shows clearly that winter tires make a profound difference in preventing collisions and saving lives,” said Carol Hochu, incoming President and CEO of TRAC. “Yet more consumer education is clearly needed to raise awareness of the superior grip and stopping power of tires designed specifically for Canadian winters.”
She said the study’s most surprising finding is that 35 per cent of drivers outside Quebec not using winter tires think all-season tires are good enough (65 per cent). Other reasons for not using winter tires include reduced driving during the cold season (30 per cent), cost (27 per cent), and lack of storage space (15 per cent).
Broken down by region, the study also highlights that 60 per cent of drivers in British Columbia use winter tires, 59 per cent use them in Alberta, and usage stands at 60 per cent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In Ontario, 66 per cent of drivers now use winter tires, while usage is up to 84 per cent in Atlantic Canada. As a reminder, winter tires are mandatory in Quebec during certain months of the year.
Overall, 72 per cent of drivers in Canada use winter tires.
As for why more drivers are not using winter tires, TRAC’s 2018 Canadian Consumer Winter Tire Study indicates that winter tire laws, public education, and financial incentives can help motivate drivers to use them — which means that motivation may be lacking in some areas.
“Advice from family and friends also represents a major driver, and the increases in winter tire use link directly with drivers sharing their positive experience with winter tires,” said TRAC in its 2020 study. This includes winter tire laws (34 per cent), advice from friends and family (17 per cent), lower auto insurance premiums (11 per cent), and media coverage (7 per cent).
Even so, winter tire usage has increased over the years, with shipments growing at an annualized rate of 5 per cent over the past three years, according to a statistical analysis of TRAC members’ winter tire shipments across Canada.
“TRAC’s statistical overview shows continuous growth in the winter tire market category,” said Barry Yutronkie, Director of TRAC, in the report. “This growth suggests increased consumer understanding of the advantages of winter tires and their place as an important part of the vehicle’s safety equipment during the harsh Canadian winter.”
The report serves as a reminder to dealers to consider investing more in this part of the business, in terms of selling, storage and servicing, as a way to boost profits and ROI amid and post-COVID.
Read the full report.
