Don't forget: Winter tires mandatory in Quebec as of Dec. 1

A winter tire is your best bet in snow and cold temperatures.

MONTREAL — As of Tuesday, it's illegal to drive in Quebec with a vehicle that is not fitted with winter tires.

Winter tires with a logo showing a snowflake and a mountain are mandatory from Dec. 1 to March 15 across the province.

Offenders could see a fine ranging from $200 to $300.

When temperatures drop below 7°C, all-season tires begin to lose elasticity, which results in reduced traction and inferior control and braking abilities.

Winter tires, however, retain their elasticity at temperatures well below 7°C.

According to CAA-Quebec, modern vehicles have safety features such as traction controls that only work well with tires that provide good grip.

The Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA) also announced on Tuesday that it has compiled statistics that show accidents are up nearly 30 per cent during the winter months.

Winter tires aren't the only solution -- motorists should also adjust their driving by leaving more space between themselves and other drivers "so that you can break in time," a news release by the company reads.

"We see this trend every year: there are more road accidents during the winter months, and many are avoidable. It's therefore important that drivers be twice as careful and thus avoid a nasty accident," said Anne Morin, public affairs supervisor at GAA.

With files from The Canadian Press.