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Should winter tires be mandatory in the Lower Mainland?

ICBC dial-a-claims go up as winter storm takes toll
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Good winter tires are a must in the Shuswap. (File photo)

The winter storm has made for a busy week at ICBC, handling thousands of vehicle damage claims since last week’s snowfall.

According to ICBC statistics, the Crown corporation received 12,5oo calls through its dial-a-claim centre between Jan. 10 to 16, all to do with incidents from across the Lower Mainland.

In the week prior, from Jan. 3 to 9, the claim centre handled 11,600 calls.

The busiest day was on Monday, where 3,530 calls were made. On Wednesday, when the blizzard-like conditions led to the province urging residents to avoid travelling, the number of dial-a-claims dropped to 1,882.

It’s too soon to say how much the winter storm will impact the public insurer’s bottom line.

During the worst of the storm, emergency crews were called out to dozens of crashes as commuters tried to drive through inclement conditions. That’s left some wondering if snow tires should be mandatory in the region during the winter months.

Currently, snow tires are only mandatory on major highways, such as the Coquihalla Highway or Sea-to-Sky Highway.

What do you think?



About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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