In a previous blog I told where Black Ice is most likely to form but what do you do if you find yourself driving on it!? Well don’t worry here are some tips!

The biggest danger with black ice is that you are at the mercy of your vehicle and the ice until your car passes over it. The general rule is to do as little as possible and allow the car to pass over the ice. Do not hit the brakes, and try to keep the steering wheel straight. If you feel the back end of your car sliding left or right, make a very gentle turn of the steering wheel in the same direction. If you try to struggle against it by steering in the opposite direction, you risk skidding or spinning out.
If you do spin out:
Slow down by decelerating. Lift your feet off the accelerator completely and keep your steering wheel fixed in the position it’s in.

Slowing down will give you more control and prevent needless damage.
Do not touch the brakes. Doing so will likely cause you to skid. The idea is to slide over the ice in the direction the steering wheel is facing; usually black ice patches aren’t longer than 20 feet (6 meters).

If you skid or lose traction, stay calm. Hopefully, you are now going slow and this will make it easier. Black ice is often (although not always) patchy, so hopefully your tires will soon find traction. Use the minimum amount of braking possible, although some braking will be necessary if skidding a lot, as follows:

If you have anti-lock braking system (ABS), just put your foot on the brake, apply firm pressure and the car will pump the brakes for you as you skid. DO NOT PUMP THE BRAKES!
If you don’t have ABS, pump the brakes gently as you skid.
Always steer the car in the direction you want the car to go.

These are just a few tips and here’s one more: NEVER drive in potentially icy conditions with your cruise control active. Until next time, Drive Safe!!!