Photo: Contributed

A new BCAA survey shows some British Columbians are nervous about winter driving.

But, what the survey also shows is that fear isn’t compelling drivers to prepare their vehicles for winter conditions.

Conducted by Insights West, the BCAA survey reveals that “43 per cent of drivers admit to being nervous behind the wheel when bad weather hits,” but that 32 per cent take a wait-and-see approach to preparing their vehicles for icy conditions. Further, 21 per cent of respondents said they’d wait until the last minute or have no plans to prepare their vehicles for winter at all.

The survey finds drivers in less snowy areas of the province, such as Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, are the least prepared. 

“Chances are, no matter where you are in the province, at some point you’re going to hit bad weather,” says BCAA automotive manager Josh Smythe. He adds that it’s not just snow; but darkness, fog, heavy rain and ice that can all lead to treacherous driving situations.

According to the survey, 71 per cent of respondents rated B.C. motorists as “poor” winter drivers, while a whopping 49 per cent would go so far as to call them the worst drivers in Canada.