Embed from Getty Imagesįorming in the early hours of the morning when temps are the lowest, be on full alert from sunset to sunrise.īlack ice typically forms where water collects, that means bridges, overpasses, and hill bottoms. If your temperature gauge shows temps near 40 and below, it’s prime black ice season. How do you drive on black ice?įirst, it’s good to know when to expect black ice and how to ID the stuff. If you live in an area with spotty snow and icy conditions and choose to use an all-season, at the very least, inspect your tires for proper tread depth, if they’re too old and need replacement, and overall condition. Snow tires outperform the best all-season in snow and ice conditions, giving you the most grip and friction necessary for accelerating, steering, and braking. If you live in a snow clime, absolutely consider winter tires. While most articles will tell you how to spot and avoid black ice, few, if any, warn you to keep an eye on your tires before winter. Checking your tires first or giving yourself the best chance if you encounter a black ice situation. For speeding and unattentive drivers, this is a recipe for collisions. In physics, the stopping distance formula isĪll you need to understand is even if your car has the most powerful brakes, icy roads increase stopping distances by several factors. Icy roads, like black ice, have as little as a fifth of the coefficient of friction. The stopping distance of a car relies on two factors, your speed and the amount of friction between your tires and the road (called the coefficient of friction.) Dry roads have a higher coefficient of friction resulting in improved car maneuvering, acceleration, and better braking. You’ll notice, since temperatures are near freezing (31F,) there are times where the already dropped ice and sleet will melt and then freeze causing that dangerous thin layer of black ice to form. Here’s a screenshot of weather during a day before in Fort Worth. It’s called black ice because it’s so thin, you can see the blacktop of the road underneath. Black ice is a thin layer of the frozen stuff that forms on road surfaces during cold weather.
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