What Is Black Ice?

What happens when a road's surface turns black and icy, and you can't tell if it's safe to get back on the road? You lose control while your vehicle slides sideways; you don't make it off the highway but into a nearby ditch or worse. So, what is black ice? Black ice is one of those dreaded conditions that can occur when cold, dry air meets an object on or near a recently wet roadway.

It is essential to know that black ice is glazed ice covered with dirt, grime, and oil from your vehicle's engine. When black ice forms, it can be a real danger to cars and people on the road. All drivers should know the risks of black ice and understand what they can do in an emergency when they encounter it.

How Does Black Ice Form?

Black ice forms when the road surface gets wet and the moisture freezes. When this happens, the microscopic layers of ice that form can support loads much heavier than when completely frozen. So if you hit black ice on the road, your car may not respond as it should to steering or braking, and you could lose control.

Black ice is created when rainwater settles on roads or highways, then refreezes and forms a thin film of black crystals. The water becomes nearly invisible because it absorbs light to create black ice.

Dangers Of Black Ice

Black ice forms suddenly and without warning

Black ice can form quickly when temperatures drop, even during the day. Often, you may see patches of ice before snow appears on the road, so by paying attention to traffic and weather forecasts, you can predict black ice conditions.

Black ice can cause your vehicle to overheat

When drivers need to stop quickly on black ice, the airflow around the car can increase, causing the engine's radiator to get too hot. This has caused many vehicles to overheat and cause fires in accidents when traffic is stopped. If this happens, move off the road, let it cool off and then restart.

Black ice can cause poor traction in your vehicle

This is a common problem on black ice roads, where vehicles lose control due to poor traction. When your tyres are stuck on black ice, they won't be able to respond well when you use them as brakes or try to steer while driving. Poor traction can cause you to lose control of your vehicle even though it is travelling at a reasonable speed.

Black ice is exceptionally slippery

Since black ice is a thin coating over the roadway, your tyres won't have much traction, and when you press down on your vehicle's brakes or try to turn a corner, you will have no control over your car or truck. If your vehicle suddenly starts sliding on black ice, take your foot off the accelerator and let it slide until you regain control of the car.

Black ice can trap your vehicle in dangerous situations

Drivers who become stuck on black ice for a long time without being able to get off the road can find themselves trapped by encroaching traffic or snowbanks. Police, ambulances, and tow trucks need to reach drivers stuck on black ice rapidly because this type of situation can quickly lead to injury or death from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Black ice can cause your car to stall

When a vehicle stalls on black ice, there is a risk that the engine will not restart or even catch fire. One of the ways to avoid this problem is to drive slowly and with caution on black ice because your engine may be unable to keep up with the vehicle's speed.

Black ice can cause accidents

Awareness of slippery road conditions and safe driving practices can prevent most accidents on black ice-formed roads. However, drivers who are not paying attention due to bad weather or other distractions are at a higher risk than they would be when driving in clear dry weather.

How To Drive On Black Ice

Whenever you're driving on an overpainted road surface, you never know what is below the fresh paint. If you are travelling over black ice and lose control of your vehicle, you are likely headed for a collision with another object or vehicle. It's always better to avoid the dangers of black ice by understanding the following:

Learn to drive on slippery roads

The secret to independent driving is knowing how and when to use the brakes, turn your steering wheel and maintain control of your vehicle.

Stay calm if you lose traction

When driving on snow-covered roads or sprinkler heads, you should stay calm if you lose traction. It isn't always safe to slide or spin out of control on black ice. It's most dangerous to do so. When a car loses traction in slippery conditions, steering wheels cannot respond quickly enough, and most drivers often lose control of their vehicle.

In some situations, you may think of using your brakes to slow down and keep your car on the road. Know that slowing down too much on black ice can also cause your tyres to lose traction, and you will likely become more skid-prone. So keep your speed up and use your brakes only when it feels necessary.

Shift into low gear

When your rear tyres lose traction, you should always drop into neutral and shift into low gear or drive in neutral until the car stops moving. Otherwise, you may slide off the road, which may cause an accident. If your vehicle has a manual transmission that allows for a lower gear, it's good practice to use it when going downhill because rolling resistance can help control speed better than shifting.

Don't slam on the brakes

You shouldn't slam on the brakes if your vehicle begins to slide. Instead, you should use your brakes as gently as possible to maintain control of the vehicle. Pushing the gas is also a bad idea when your car begins to skid because it can make the situation worse by causing your wheels to spin out of control.

Avoid alternating between the gas and brake pedals

Experts recommend that drivers avoid using the gas and brakes at the same time while on black ice. Instead, use gentle pressure on one pedal until you get through dangerous patches of ice or snow, or you risk becoming more skid-prone and losing control.

Don't turn the steering wheel suddenly

When a vehicle begins to skid, the natural reaction is turning the steering wheel to bring the car back under control. However, this isn't a good idea when it comes to black ice because it can make the situation worse and your car may begin spinning out of control.

Stay on the road

If you lose traction while driving on black ice, you should stay on the road and avoid rolling over into a ditch. One way to minimise your chances of crashing is to maintain control of your steering rather than trying to correct your direction. If your vehicle is equipped with AWD (All-wheel drive), you can use AWD assists at low speeds to help maintain control.

Be prepared for your car's engine to lock up

When an engine locks up under hard braking or when a car starts skidding, it isn't unusual for the car's transmission and brakes to lock up. This can be dangerous when you're driving on wet or icy roads because you may have difficulty regaining control of the vehicle. When this takes place, there is no choice but to apply your car's parking brake to keep your vehicle from rolling.

Look for wet areas

Black ice can be hard to spot. So, look for wet areas where black ice might form on the road surface. If you are driving on a painted road, you can use the Road Hazard Demarcation System as a reminder to watch for black ice.

The Road Hazard Demarcation System is white and contains reflective material about a foot (30cm) wide by three feet (91cm) long and has "DANGER ROAD HAZARD" written in large letters. The RHDS indicates a dangerous road condition, such as black ice or an icy bridge or ramp.

Get A Reliable Car

Driving on black ice can be dangerous. But with a bit of knowledge of the road and how vehicles behave on it, most drivers will be able to avoid accidents when driving on black ice. You can also better deal with driving safely on black ice if you have a strong, reliable car that won't give up on you at the slightest challenge.

When buying a car, be sure to consider the car's reliability to avoid disappointments in the future. Some great places to get good, reliable vehicles include car sales platforms and trusted local and online dealerships.