What is black ice and is it dangerous to drive on?
Black ice is actually a misleading name
DRIVING in the winter can be a scary experience, since it gets dark early and fog can obscure the road ahead.
But the return of winter also signals the return of black ice on the roads, which can be extremely dangerous.
A misleading name
Black ice is a very thin layer of ice that can form on roads, bridges and lakes.
It is not actually black in colour; instead it is transparent.
This means the colour of the ice is actually just the pavement surface.
As a result, that makes black ice extremely hard to see, which can lead to accidents.
Since it can form on water too, it can also lead to the deaths of anyone who chooses to walk on a frozen lake or river.
People can drop through the ice and get trapped in the freezing depths.
Quick formation
Black ice forms when the air temperature hovers around freezing point, but is slightly warmer than the temperature of the pavement.
This makes the ice form a very thin, almost undetectable layer.
It can also form when rain lands on the cold road surface, which can make it freeze very quickly.
Because black ice forms when the temperature is just around freezing, the signifies of ice (such as snow or sleet) are often missing which makes it even harder to detect.
Stay calm
If you accidentally drive on black ice, it is important to remember to stay calm.
Reducing your speed is vital, but avoid slamming on the breaks since this could cause your vehicle to slide.
The best thing to do is avoid driving on black ice altogether, by remaining vigilant when driving in cold weather.
When walking, avoid stepping onto any frozen bodies of water as an errant step could result in you falling into the icy water.