Double the rubber?

Is the day of mandatory winter tires closer than we think?

Quebec has already implemented legislation to that effect and now there is talk that winter tires could be made mandatory in this province as well.

The provincial Liberals are asking that legislation be implemented that would see the use of winter tires become mandatory between the months of November and May.

Quebec made the move back in November of 2007. The legislation brought forward in that province was geared toward seeing that vehicle owners install winter tires on their vehicles in an attempt to reduce preventable accidents and fatalities on provincial highways.

With the winters we typically have in this province, it's no secret that summer tires just aren't going to make the grade. But what about the ever popular all-season tire? Many people opt to go this route because they can keep these tires on year-round and only require one set of tires for their vehicle.

Sure there is some merit to this argument. To some degree it would be making the streets safer for everyone. But how would you regulate it?

Could this mean that new cars would come with two sets of tires? Most new cars now come with all-season tires. Does this mean that you would be able to go into a dealership and purchase a new vehicle, but won't be able to drive it home until you buy a new set of tires?

Sure car dealers can work around this with new vehicles, but what about their fleet of used automobiles? If you trade a vehicle in October with all-season or summer tires on it, then the calendar flips to November, suddenly that car or truck in no longer street legal. What then? Are the car lots going to put a new set of tires on it in hopes they can sell it and get the money back or is the cost of a second set of tires going to come off your vehicles worth when you try to trade it?

Winter tires on all vehicles would make the streets somewhat safer as long as the tires don't give motorists that false sense of security so they push a little harder on the gas peddle. If that happens, then such legislation would defeat itself.