WATCH: New auto service centre offers tips to keep Okanagan drivers safe this winter

KELOWNA – A new BCAA Auto Service Centre unique to Kelowna is offering up suggestions to keep Okanagan drivers safe during the upcoming winter months.

With the grand opening scheduled for Saturday, General Manager Stu Miller says the centre’s first goal is to educate Okanagan drivers on how to prepare themselves for harsh winter driving conditions.
He advises drivers to carry a winter preparedness kit whenever they travel, containing items such as:

• Tire chains
• A flashlight
• Reflective cones
• Reflective vest
• Rope
• Warm winter jacket, boots and gloves
• Windshield scraper
• First-aid kit
• Extra gas

“The idea behind having all these items is to be prepared and ready for any worst case scenario,” says Miller. “Drivers should really have them in the trunks of their vehicles.”
Customer Ken Scott has been living in the Okanagan for over 35 years and knows how important it is to have vehicles ready for the road well before poor conditions hit.
“The warning has come out that you better get (your tires) on now and there’s special tires you have to have,” Scott says. “It’s about safety, primarily, and saving lives.”
Miller acknowledges some city drivers may not see the need to pay for winter tires until later in the year but says they’re worth the early expense.
“Frankly, to spend the money to buy winter tires definitely outweighs having a family member being injured or stranded on the side of the road. It’s all about safety.”
The centre is BCAA’s first in the province.