Tire adhesion, and alcohol consumption

The bitter cold we experienced during the Holiday Season caused headaches for a number of motorists. In fact, the Police Department of the Ville de Mont-Tremblant responded to no fewer than 42 car accident calls in its territory between December 23, 2017, and January 3, 2018.

Since 2014, licenced passenger vehicles in Québec have been required to be equipped with winter tires from December 15 to March 15 every winter. But are you aware that these tires begin to lose elasticity when the mercury falls to minus 15 degrees Celsius? They lose adhesion, which translates into a range of outcomes including reduced road-holding capability in the curves and the need for a longer braking distance. When the mercury falls to minus 30 degrees Celsius to minus 35 degrees Celsius, most winter tires provide only a small fraction of their optimal adhesion.

Intense cold can also discourage outdoor enthusiasts. It seems that many of them think that when it’s cold, alcohol consumption helps the body keep warm. But the opposite is true. Alcohol consumption causes dilatation of the blood vessels just under the skin. As a result, your body heat is sent to the surface of your body and is lost. In addition, the calories in your beverage are not enough to produce more heat than you lose. Ville de Mont-Tremblant municipal bylaws prohibit alcohol consumption in public areas under penalty of a $50 fine. Using the excuse of consuming alcohol to keep warm may make police officers smile, but probably won’t make them go easy on you.

By the same author: The C’est SKI DURE program (Click the image below)