In 2008, Quebec enacted a law requiring all passenger cars and taxis registered in Quebec to have winter tires on their vehicles from December 15 until March 15. (It also applies to mopeds, motorized scooters, and motorcycles). Fines for disobeying the law are 200 to 300 Canadian dollars. Drivers with cars registered in the United States are exempt. Under certain circumstances, drivers can also obtain a permit that allows them to drive in the province for 7 days during the restriction period.
A New York Times (NYT) post summarized a recent Quebec Ministry of Transport study which found that in the years after the law’s enactment, winter car accidents have declined. The ministry claims that a net accident reduction of 5 percent is credited to the winter tire law. According to the NYT, the winter-tire law is popular partly because it does not affect many drivers – prior to the law’s enactment, 90 percent of drivers used winter tires.
