GUIDE TO DRIVE A CAR IN
ONTARIO
DRIVING IN THE CANADIAN WINTER
The following are some basic recommendations to be taken into account when
you drive a car in the Canadian winter.
● Winter Tires This type of tires have a special grooves and drawing
that offers more grip to the floor and the rubber is softer at low
temperature (-0 to -30°C)
than the rubber of normal tires. These two factors improve braking
conditions in a car on surfaces covered with snow or ice, and thus, your
personal safety is also improved.
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RECOMMENDATION:
Use the right “winter tires”, especially if you live in an area
where the roads are covered with snow in winter. Even thought
many Canadian drivers use "all-season" tires, for new drivers it
is safer to use winter tires with rather low pressure (20 to 25
psi) to increase adherence to the surface.
Normal or
"all-season" tires do not offer the same adherence at low
temperatures below
0°C
that winter tires.
Once the winter is over, change winter tires for normal tires,
(keep them in sealed bags, in a fresh and dark place) to avoid
wear with heat in spring and summer. |
● Windshield Liquid
Always maintain the deposit full. Never use tap water because it will freeze
and will obstruct the conducts. In winter always carry a gallon with extra
liquid. The use of this liquid is vital when you are driving and starts
snowing, especially in highways, since this is the only way of cleaning the
windshield and see the highway.
WITHOUT THIS LIQUID, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRIVE WHEN IT IS
SNOWING
● Snow and Car’s weight. Snow at the roof and other parts of the car
shall increase the weight of the car and the resistance to the air
(aerodynamics) these factors shall increase normal gasoline consumption.
Thus, it is recommended for economy and safety reasons, to always clean the
snow from the car before driving.
● Fuel Consumption. In the cold winter, fuel consumption of the car
is higher than in the summer, especially during the first minutes, when the
engine needs normal temperature to function. Thus, it is recommendable to
program your route and avoid using the car for short stretches.
● Heating of the Car.
With modern controls and fuel-injected engines, there is no need of heating
up cars for long periods, even during winter. Contrary to the popular
belief, a car needs only 30 seconds to heat the engine up and be ready to
run. The better way of heating a car is by driving it in a highway, because
not only the engine needs to be warmed up, but also the tires and
transmission. Although it is advisable to take a highway as soon as
possible, it is better if the car runs 4 or
5 km before entering into a highway.
● DISTANCE.
In winter, which is more important in highways is users safety. When it is
snowing, speed is decreased and separation between vehicles has to be
longer, in order to let drivers to safely brake and stop.
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IMPORTANT
To put the engine on, and let it worm without moving the car
(idling) is PROHIBITED (NOT ALLOWED) in some parts of Canada,
since fuel is burnt and air is polluted with no reason at all.
If you are found “warming the car” or parked with engine turn on
you will be fined for idling. As a general rule, if you have to
stop for more than 10 seconds, turn off the engine (except in
traffic) |
- CAR MAINTENANCE
Daily, weekly, monthly and by kilometre maintenance of each car varies
according to design, brand and model of the car. If you buy a new car, ask
for the User’s Manual of the car.
If you buy a used car with no manual, you can buy one at especial stores,
like for example, Canadian Tire,
which you may find all over
Ontario. There you will find the maintenance manuals
for most of the cars marketed in
Canada. It is always a good idea to have
the maintenance manual of the car to follow maintenance instructions and
know parts of the car.
To learn about related aspects of your car maintenance, see the site
Natural Resources Canada, where you
will find very useful information on this subject.
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