Black Ice – The Secret Of Michigan’s Biggest Winter Threat

While a snowy day can be one of the best parts of winter in Michigan, driving in the cold and snow can be difficult and even dangerous. While many cars can handle the snow with the proper winter prep, driving on ice is hard for anyone.

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Seeing the ice in front of you allows you to adapt and potentially avoid the ice altogether. However, black ice is the biggest threat because it is so difficult to see that drivers don't realize it is there, leading to accidents. But there is a little secret about black ice that few don't realize: black ice isn't real. 

The Mystery Of Black Ice

Despite the name, Black ice isn't actually black ice; rather, it's called black ice because the "blacktop," a.k.a. the road, is easily visible underneath the ice. Black ice is considered very dangerous because it is so thin and slick that drivers can't tell it's there.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) warns that as temperatures get below freezing, the "effectiveness of snow and other anti-icing material is reduced and work slower" as the temperatures continue to drop. MDOT can only do so much, so it's important drivers are doing their part to drive safely, too.

How To Spot/Avoid Black Ice

The most common sense rule but is also the most important is to assume there is ice on the roads if it is just above or below freezing (32°F). Just because you can't see the ice doesn't mean it isn't there.

This is how the US Forest Service instructs how to spot black ice:

If the majority of the road you're driving on appears a dull black color, but the patch just ahead of you appears shiny, you may be about to drive onto black ice

Here are a few easy techniques you can incorporate to drive safely courtesy of Smart Drive Test:

• When going over ice, suspected ice, or feeling yourself losing traction, take your foot off the accelerator and don't brake.
  • Especially do not brake when going over a curve (this is a huge reason why the S-Curve has so many crashes)
• When needing to brake on ice, take your foot off the gas or put the car in neutral and keep the steering wheel straight.