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Your natural reaction when hitting an icy road may be the wrong one and David Kopp, a former Iowa State Trooper should know. He is the co-founder of Drive With Cops drivers education and explained at length what we should do and why.
1. Don't react quickly.
Even if you are driving responsibly, you can still find yourself hitting a lone patch of black ice on an Iowa Interstate. If this happens to you Kopp tells us any quick reactions could cause you to go into a slip. Instead of braking, he recommends simply taking your foot off the gas pedal, allowing the car to slow itself down. Most patches of black ice shouldn't last that long, so you should be able to regain control quickly. If you have to use the brakes, apply them very gently and only brake hard if you are out of options.
2. Turn On Your Black Ice Radar
Kopp says one of the best tools to stay safe is knowing where ice likes to hide on Iowa roads. He says we need to be especially cautious when going over bridges because the road temperature is much colder due to air passing under the bridge. This means ice is more likely to form and stay put. If you are in winter driving conditions, it's a great idea to slow down and take your foot off the gas pedal when approaching a bridge. This way, if you do hit ice you won't need to slow yourself down as much.
3. Force Yourself To Slow Down
The easiest tactic is also the most ignored one. When winter conditions come upon us, Kopp says we should feel comfortable driving under the speed limit. Perhaps you should put a sticker or reminder in your car as a reminder your life is far too precious, and too many people depend on you. That extra 10 miles an hour just isn't worth your life.