Refocus For Fall (Yes, It’s Really October!)

The joke still isn’t funny, but it happens at least once a week in a conversation with someone. “What day is it?” “Wait, what month is it?” Ever since Covid-19 became a reality in our lives in March when the country first shut-down and stayed-home, life has changed.

Now that the kids are back in school, life has a bit of routine once again and I have this feeling of coming out of the shadows in a way. I feel like life sort of paused in the spring, we coasted through the summer unsure of what the fall would mean, and now that it’s here it’s time to be in the present and prepare for the fall and winter ahead.

While the kids are still switching between t-shirts one day and hoodies the next for school, I’m busy pulling out their winter gear to see what fits and what I need to purchase for the cold weather ahead. Mom tip: Shop for boots and jackets early because once the snow flies, they go quick! Of course, I’m also ordering school pictures (even though I take approximately 8000 pictures of my kids a year, it’s still tradition to get the school pics in frames yearly) and of course I’m prepping for Thanksgiving (with my tiny bubble of my 5-person household!)

Booking my SUV in to get my winter tires put on is on my list for this week as well. There’s a good chance that some of my readers have just now realized that they didn’t take their winter tires off in the Spring, after reading that! A Kal Tire survey shows an average of 11% of respondents never had their winter tires reoved last spring, and among those who did switch out their winter tires, 60% plan to wait until at least November or when snow is forecast or falling to have their winter tires installed. The survey polled 1,633 motorists from BC to Ontario.

Of those 11% who didn’t switch out their tires, Covid-19 was the main reason people didn’t make the switch and 95% plan to keep those same winter tires on for another season.

“Running winter tires through the summer, particularly during the hot months, can significantly reduce tire life, possibly by as much as 50 per cet, so if at the end of winter, those winter tires might not be enough tread depth or grip for safe winter driving,” says Mike Butcher, regional director for urban retail stores. Year-round use of winter tires can also lead to uneven wear, poor performance even on dry pavement and reduced fuel economy.

To help ensure drivers won’t be compromising their safety and the safety of others on the road, Kal Tire recommends having tires inspected before cold temperatures set in. AND, because Kal Tire locations have responsibly made changes to protect customers and team members as they follow Covid-19 protocols, they aren’t allowing as many customers in their showrooms due to social distancing. SO – it’s important to book that winter-tire switchover now, before the snow flies.

Many drivers don’t realize that winter tires can be put on once the average daily temperature falls to +7 Celcius. We often see these temperatures in late September and early October.

Get those to-do lists made, pull out those winter jackets and boots to check sizing, order all the delicious food for Thanksgiving for pick-up, and make your winter tire appointment with Kal Tire now! And then? Sip all the pumpkin spice lattes you want, because you deserve it and more in fall 2020!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Kal Tire. All opinions and commentary are, as always, my own.