What Nobody Tells Californians About Winter Driving

Most Californians drive all year without ever seeing snow, then take a weekend trip and meet chain control for the first time on a dark road with a queue behind them. Here is the practical version, including the insurance parts nobody mentions.

Chain controls, briefly

When conditions require it, Caltrans posts chain requirements at levels — from chains required except for vehicles with snow tires, up to chains required on all vehicles regardless of drivetrain. The requirements are enforced, and the level can change while you are driving. Check conditions before you leave, and carry chains that fit your vehicle even if you expect not to need them.

An important detail people miss: four-wheel drive is not an automatic exemption at the higher control levels. Read the posted requirement rather than assuming your vehicle exempts you.

The insurance questions that actually come up

Sliding on ice into something. That is a collision, and it is generally treated as such regardless of the weather. If you carry liability only, your own vehicle is not covered.

Damage from chains. Improperly fitted chains can damage bodywork and brake lines. Whether that is covered is a policy question — ask, and fit them properly in a parking lot in daylight at least once before the trip.

Gear stolen from the car. Skis, boards, luggage. Personal property taken from a vehicle is generally not an auto policy matter — it usually falls to homeowners or renters coverage. This surprises almost everyone.

Roadside assistance a long way from anywhere. Worth far more on a mountain road than in a suburb. Check whether you have it before the trip rather than discovering the answer at 9,000 feet.

The trip checklist

• Chains that fit, tried once, with gloves and a groundsheet.
• Insurance card available offline on the phone, plus a paper copy in the glovebox.
• A full tank before the climb, not after it.
• Water, warm layers and a torch — traffic on a closed mountain road does not move for hours.

The honest bit

Nothing about your policy needs to change for a ski weekend. What is worth checking is whether you have comprehensive and collision on a car you would need to replace, and whether roadside is on the policy. Both are quick questions and both are more relevant on a mountain than at home.

If you are not sure what your policy includes, send us the declarations page — we will read it back to you before the trip rather than after.