Canadians use kitty litter to gain ice traction

ERJ staff report (DS)

Toronto, Canada -- In a national survey released by Canadian Tire, Canadians identified their unusual winter driving habits, with 18 per cent using kitty litter to gain traction on ice; more than a quarter (27 percent) using a credit card to scrape ice off their windshield; and 38 per cent using sandbags or weights in their trunk to prevent fishtailing, instead of installing winter tyres.

Andrew Davies, vice-president, automotive for Canadian Tire said, "Being properly ready for winter driving with things like winter tyres, a collapsible shovel, roadside safety kit, winter windshield washer fluid and snow brushes instead of depending on kitty litter and a credit card, will make your winter travels easier and safer."

More than half of Canadian drivers (53 per cent) claim they are fully prepared for winter driving. Yet, at the time of the survey, only one third (30 per cent) of Canadian drivers had installed winter tyres, while another third (34 per cent) have no plans to install them at all. Nearly half (49 per cent) of Canadian drivers feel incorrectly that installing two winter tyres instead of four is better than nothing; while 80 per cent believe that tyre tread depth makes the most difference in winter road handling safety, when in reality, the rubber compound found only in winter tyres is the most important factor in providing optimal traction and control on the road.

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Press release from Canadian Tire