'Did everyone forget how to drive in the winter?': Every driver every year

Remember all the collisions during the first snowfall last winter? How about the year before that?

Maybe your memory fails you, but there were lots.

It's the same story this year.

More than 130 collisions were reported to Edmonton police between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wednesday as Edmonton motorists navigated their first winter commute.

Rick Lang, with the Alberta Motor Association, can't cite any studies but believes the spike in collisions is proof that we forget how to drive in the winter, even if we do it every year.

"I haven't seen any empirical studies on it anywhere around North America It is just a whole lot of observations from anywhere that there is winter in North America," Lang said. "It happens all over."

'People certainly forgot how to drive'

Wednesday in Edmonton was a perfect example, Lang said.

"It took me twice the amount of time to get to work as it normally does, and we had what, just a couple of centimetres of snow with a little bit of rain falling in between," he said.

"People certainly forgot how to drive. Lots of vehicles in the ditch, fender benders here and there, so it proves the point that if you don't use it you lose it and six months later we lose it and we have to relearn how to drive in winter time all over again."

Lang thinks the key is to be prepared and that starts by having your winter tires on before the snow flies.

"I can imagine today the calls to the tire shops are just ringing off the hook," said Lang. "So there's one thing, get your winter tires on mid October, possibly at the latest, end of October."

'Got to get into that mind set' 

Lang also suggests you start leaving earlier than you typically would.

"Got to get into that mind set that it's going to take possibly twice as long so might as well sit back enjoy the radio show."

Lang recommends Edmonton AM on CBC Radio One which provides traffic reports throughout the morning and regular reminders when conditions are treacherous.

If you're hopeful Edmontonians will quickly adapt to driving in winter, don't hold your breath. On Thursday, a day after the first snowy commute, there were another 70 collisions between 6 a.m. and noon.

And while Lang believes Edmontonians will eventually adapt to the conditions, he said next year they will start all over again.