Driving around Naperville this winter means being on the lookout for icy roads.
“Conditions are right after a deep freeze or a long cold period. And we do get a warming up period because the snow melts on the road and then it freezes again at night. So drivers should be very aware of that. Just because there’s salt on the road melting snow doesn’t mean the moisture goes away. It can come back in the form of ice,” explained Director of Naperville Public Works Dick Dublinski.
And sometimes that can mean the forming of black ice. The clearness makes it hard for most to spot, especially while driving.
“So if a driver runs into black ice, what’s going to happen is they’re going to feel their car slide, one way or the other,” said Dublinski. “If that happens it’s very easy to get out of. Take your foot off the accelerator, do not hit the brake, and steer the direction you want your car to go in, until you got it under control again.”
Drivers should also be careful of ice on bridges and in areas where you see snow blowing over the road.
Naperville Public Works says rock salt stops working when temperatures drop below 15 degrees, so they suggest switching to sand to get traction.
Naperville News 17’s Christine Lena reports.