Black Ice - Everything You Need to Know by ICEGRIPPER

You’ve probably heard of black ice and the threat it poses to drivers and pedestrians, but what is it exactly? What’s the difference between regular ice and black ice? Should you really be concerned about it?

To answer that last question, yes, you should be concerned about it!

Black ice is ice that’s developed on the surface of a roadway, or pavement. It’s transparent and takes on the color of the surface it’s on. Bridges and overpasses are particularly susceptible. Why? They not only cool from the top, but from the bottom as well. Cold air hits these structures from both directions, causing them to freeze way more quickly than normal roads.

Over 150,000 car crashes occur every year due to icy roads, and over 550 people die in these crashes. That means on a given year, black ice claims more lives than salmonella, which kills 400 people every year.(source: weloveweather.tv/black-ice)

If you are driving and find yourself sliding across dangerous black ice, what should you do? Take your foot off the accelerator and try to coast through. When you slide over black ice, you should immediately slow down your reactions and not make any quick movements. Slowly take your foot off the pedal, stay calm, and try to coast through without endangering yourself or others. Once your car slows down, it’s likely the tyres will be able to grip the road better.

What about pedestrians? At ICEGRIPPER we have tested hundreds of different ice grips, winter boots and associated winter products in a wide variety of conditions...

Do you have any other useful tips for safe winter walking? We love to hear your winter stories. Email us, or contact us through any of our social media sites, see the clickable links in the footer below. Safe Walking!

Walk, work, run and play on winter ice and snow with ICEGRIPPER