While most drivers are used to mild winter driving, driving on black ice is another story. This transparent and dangerous type of ice is challenging for even the most experienced driver to respond to.
If you live in a location where you might encounter black ice on the road, you’ll need to come equipped with the right tips to escape unscathed. This article will look at the 10 best winter driving tips you can use to drive safely on black ice.
What Is Black Ice?
Black ice is a coating of ice that forms on the surface of roads after rain, sleet, or snow has thawed and refrozen. Due to it being thin and transparent, black ice is challenging for a driver to spot. Black ice is one of the most hazardous obstacles you can encounter on the road.
Why Is Black Ice So Dangerous?
Black ice is dangerous because it’s difficult to spot and almost impossible to navigate without losing some control of your vehicle. Completely losing control is as simple as accidentally braking too suddenly or steering too hard.
Unfortunately, almost 20% of car accidents in the United States happen due to snowy and icy conditions like black ice. While you can’t completely avoid ice in many areas of the world, knowing the right ways to drive safely on black ice can help reduce your likelihood of being involved in a severe accident.
How Can You Spot Black Ice on the Road?
While this transparent ice is difficult to spot, you can often spot black ice by scanning the road ahead. During the day, areas of the road covered with black ice will appear glossy and dark. Later in the evening, any patches of black ice will look dark and dull.
You should also consider the winter weather conditions to determine if black ice might be a hazard. If the temperatures are freezing and you suspect there might be water on the road in a particular area, you should use extra caution.
10 Pro Tips to Drive Safely on Black Ice
1. Use The Right Tires
If you believe you might encounter black ice, you should ensure your car is equipped with the right tires during the winter months. While you must take the same precautions to drive safely on black ice, studded snow tires or winter tires can help you maintain traction and stay safe while driving in dangerous winter conditions.
2. Keep a Safe Distance From Other Cars
It’s easy to fall into old habits when it comes to staying a safe distance from other cars. But when driving in snowy and icy conditions, it’s essential to keep at least ten times the distance between yourself and other vehicles. Taking this precaution allows you to avoid crashes even if you briefly lose control of your car on black ice.
3. Steer Straight and Don’t Fight Sliding
One of the easiest ways to lose control of your vehicle while driving on black ice is by jerking the steering wheel to correct your car. Correcting your car too harshly can easily cause a spin-out. You should keep your steering wheel straight while driving on black ice. If your car skids or fishtails, you should gently turn in the direction of the skid to regain control.
4. Stay Focused
If you encounter black ice on a winter road, one of the most important things you can do is to stay focused. While driving on black ice is always risky, it’s much safer when you’re always prepared to react to dangers and maintain control of your vehicle.
5. Drive, Brake, and Turn Slowly
Driving slowly is the best way to maintain control of your vehicle while driving on black ice. While a spin-out or brief skid might be catastrophic at high speeds, it’s much easier to regain control when driving slowly.
6. Drive Cautiously Over Bridges
While black ice can form anywhere, developing over bridges and overpasses is extremely common. This is because cool air cools the road from underneath and on its surface, causing it to freeze much more quickly.
7. Avoid Accelerating Harshly
One of the worst things you can do on black ice is accelerating too quickly, as it can leave you trapped inside a dangerously fast car with momentum you can’t control. If you need to accelerate, you should ease into it very gently.
8. Turn Off Your Car’s Cruise Control
While cruise control is generally handy, it can make driving on black ice significantly more dangerous. You should turn off your car’s cruise control if you suspect black ice may be formed on the roads. Doing so will ensure that you can react to any dangers immediately.
9. Never Brake Suddenly. Instead, Pump the Brakes or Use Your Car’s ABS
Knowing how to react appropriately can be challenging if you hit a patch of black ice. You should never slam on the brakes when driving on black ice, or you may completely lose control of your vehicle. You can gently pump your car’s brakes or use the Automatic Braking System to slow down to a reasonable speed.
10. Avoid Driving on Black Ice Whenever Possible
While there are some driving techniques you can use to stay safe on black ice, the best way to avoid crashes is to avoid driving on black ice entirely. Black ice is a hazardous road condition, and very few scenarios make attempting to navigate it worthwhile. You should always consider whether you should go out before driving on black ice.
Driving Safely on Black Ice
Unfortunately, there’s no way to stay completely safe on black ice besides avoiding the roads. But when it comes to navigating these dangerous winter road conditions, using these 10 techniques for driving on black ice can help you maintain control and stay much safer on the road.
