By Ashley Ramer
Black is is a major cause of car crashes in during the winter for drivers of all ages. When water gathers on the road and freezes, it can become transparent and look like a normal puddle. However, once a car’s tires hit the ice, they lose all traction on the road, causing the vehicle to slid, many times, resulting in a crash.
The safest way to avoid a crash caused by black ice is to stay off of icy roads. However, this is not always an option. When drivers must travel icy roads, they should do so slowly and cautiously and increase following distance between cars to avoid getting caught in a pile up. Drivers should be on the look out for dark looking pavement, as it may be ice.
When drivers hit the black ice and start to skid, they must remain calm. Over reacting will only do harm and increase the risk of an accident. Drivers should slowly decelerate,without hitting the brakes and put the car in neutral and try to steer straight.
Soon, the car should come to a halt, either on the road or off of the road. If a car is stuck in the middle of the road and cannot be moved, drivers must find a way to warn approaching vehicles that the road has been blocked. Ways to do this include flares, directing traffic, or even creating a caution sign. If this is not done, it could result in a pile up, which could cost people their lives.