Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement (CVSE) officers are stepping up enforcement of winter tire and chain regulations for commercial vehicles, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Shirley Bond announced last Wednesday.
“We expect every commercial vehicle to be properly equipped for winter,” said Bond. “If we find you driving a commercial vehicle through our mountain passes without proper tires or chains, you could face a fine, and we’ll turn you back - and that will cost you time and money.”
Winter tires or chains are mandatory for commercial vehicles from October 1 to April 30, wherever there is a sign that indicates “use winter tires or carry chains beyond this point”. About 250 of these warning signs are prominent in mountainous terrain throughout the province.
“We know that most trucking companies are experienced with winter driving and well- prepared for weather conditions,” said Paul Landry, president and CEO of the BC Trucking Association. “This enforcement serves as a good reminder that we can’t take safety for granted.”
CVSE is increasing its focus on winter tire checks, and CVSE officers will turn back commercial vehicles that are not properly equipped. The driver could also be fined $128 under the Motor Vehicle Act for not using winter tires when required. Should their actions put other motorists in danger, additional penalties could apply.
Drivers of commercial vehicles can expect increased enforcement throughout the winter, with a heavy focus on the following mountainous routes:
* Hwy 1 Revelstoke to the Alberta border
* Hwy 5 Merritt to Hope
* Hwy 5A Merritt to Kamloops
* Hwy 16 McBride to the Alberta border
* Hwy 97 Cache Creek to Prince George
Know before you go, and get up to date highway conditions at http://drivebc.ca. Follow the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tranbc.