What safety precautions should I take when driving in black ice conditions?

Question

How do you stop your vehicle when it picks up a skid? How do you avoid hitting other vehicles?

Answer 1

black ice. not driving on it is the best advise, but if necessary, then alot slower is the best you can do. if you happen upon it as your driving, keep a slow steady pace. dont take your foot off the accelerator completely, if any one has ever driven a manual vehicle or big truck, you'll know the deceleration or back pressure will cause the rear wheels to go slower then travel speed, causing a skid. much like jack braking a big truck on ice, and having it stall. if your driving on ice right from the start, you'll get used to the feel of it as you go. and once again, slow is best. if it happens you start to skid, or spin out, your back end will try to go sideways one way or the other, and you turn your wheel in the direction your traveling, and just slowly let off the accelerator until the wheel speed matches travel speed again. do not brake if you can help it. you'll have to learn to keep your speed, and avoid things instead. if you need to brake or stop on ice, then try to get to the edge of the road where there may be snow or sand left and use it for a bit of traction, and slow down on it. ditches are your best panic defense in an emergency, as collisions are not a great alternative. one reason that big trucks keep going in icy conditions is that truckers know their tires heat up as they turn even when the temperature is -40 C. warm tires on frozen ice on a road make them very sticky (like licking a steel pole) , but its only while they are still moving.

Answer 2

Learning to drive in snow and ice is fun! Find an empty parking lot with the right conditions and practice if you can, every car handles a little differently.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE: The biggest problem facing most winter drivers is skidding on slick, icy or snow covered roads. It is possible to steer out of a skid! Once you feel your car begin to skid, slowly remove your foot from the accelerator, until you feel your wheels regain traction control. (Do not attempt to brake!) As your vehicle's tires grab the road, slowly turn the steering wheel in the direction you want your front wheels to go.

REAR WHEEL DRIVE: When you begin to spin, remove your foot from the gas pedal. Slowly steer in the direction you want the car to go. If you are still skidding out of control, counter-steer until your vehicle is pointing in the right direction. Never apply steady pressure to the brakes.

The link below has more tips.

Answer 3

Precautions:
1) have winter tires
2) stay far behind other vehicles
3) reduce speed according to road scondition

Remedies in case of skid:
1) never jam on the brakes. use light pumping action on the brake pedal, and make sure you regain control with the steering wheel in between each pump. Anti lock brakes are a great help at this.
2) if the front is skidding, pump the brakes lightly, and eventually it will grip
3) if the rear wants to com around the front, stay off the brakes, and turn the wheels in the direction the rear is going.

Be safe!

Answer 4

Go slower whenever you can and avoid anything that looks like a puddle.

If you begin to skid, turn the wheel in the direction you want the front of the car to go (this is called turning into the skid).

Finally, always aim for the shoulder if you must slide into something. Unless the sidewalks are always crowded, I would risk hitting a telelphone pole at 30mph rather than a car the opposite way also doing 30mph (that's like hitting a pole at 60mph).

Answer 5

The way you should drive in ice covered road is drive slow and keep a good distance away from the other drivers. If you do hit ice then tap your brake really soft, do not slam the break then you will lose control of the vehicle! If you start to feel the vehicle slide then turn softy in to the slide, don't try to fight the slide then you will lose control. Drive Safe It Is Crazy In That Weather!!!!

Answer 6

First and foremost, keep your foot out of the throttle and out of the brake! You will also want to keep your wheels straight for when you have crossed the patch and regain traction.
As far as if you are moving across one and have lost traction, you have no controll. That's the bottom line, it's up to inertia and gravity at that point. Turning the wheels won't help, throttle won't help and brakes won't stop you. Trying any of these while you are in a state of lost traction while on ice will do nothing but the second you gain traction again whatever you have doen with the throttle, brake or steering wheel is sure to have you screwed.

Answer 7

On black ice, the best way to deal with it is to stay at home!!!! Snow is somewhat different, you begin a skid, turn your steering wheel in the same direction the rear of the car is skidding. But on ice, not much works, not even spiked tires.

Answer 8

Drive at a slower speed and keep your distance from other vehicles. If you have an automatic, drive in a lower gear. It gives more power to the engine and deccelatates quicker without using the brakes. Don't slam on the brakes and break gradually. Allow plenty of time to get to your destination. In case you get stranded, take along 1 liter of water, blanket, and some food (granola bars, fruit snacks), enough to give you energy. You can also take a small tuna fish can, and a votive candle and set it on your dash to give you heat.

Answer 9

Amazing...some of the answers!.Probably from people who have never seen or experienced black ice.

The best answers...don't drive or get off the road. If you're moving any faster than real slow...and you even touch the breaks or change direction...hold on for the ride...and pray that you find a soft landing!! Cars and trucks don't steer on glare ice...it's physics! Studded snow tire help big time...but not at high speeds...again...physics. Therefore, to avoid accidents...get or stay off the road...go real slow...keep big distance between you and the car in front AND behind you.

Answer 10

It's best to turn AWAY from whatever direction you are skidding in. If you don't have anti-lock brakes, then "pump" your brakes--pushing the brake down full force will just make you lose control more. If you have traction control, make sure its turned on before you start on the road.
DRIVE SLOW AND CAREFUL, and you'll hopefully avoid all of the above. "Black Ice" can come out of nowhere literally...always be wary when you know the temperature is below freezing.