The Black Menace of Auto Body Repair

Okay, maybe “The Black Menace of Auto Body Repair” is putting things a little dramatically. Nevertheless, drivers in Bridgeton, Oakville, and Chesterfield, Missouri shouldn’t forget that black ice commonly forms in the wintertime and early spring, and it is something to keep away from. It can be extremely difficult to detect if you do not know what you are looking for from the beginning. It doesn’t even need to be raining or snowing for a patch of black ice to find its way under your tire tread if there is snow around. This is simply because melting snow can trickle onto the road and cause black ice to develop. Even dew that has accumulated on the road overnight could form black ice in some instances. Definitely, black ice could be anywhere on a cool winter day. That means it is up to you, the driver, to be cautious and take the necessary steps so you do not wind up making an unanticipated visit to a St. Louis, MO auto body shop.

Black ice is not just ubiquitous; it is especially dangerous as well. Because it’s so hard to see coming, it could quite easily take someone by surprise. Also, lots of experts on winter driving safety and the majority of auto body mechanics will concur that black ice is among the most deadly of winter hazards. If you wish to stay clear of this clear killer, continue reading. These hints from Car Craft Auto Body in St. Louis, Missouri will give you the tools you’ll need to be ready for black ice.

As mentioned before, black ice is really hard to notice. However, there are a couple of ways in which you can detect it. First, patches of black ice will usually have the appearance of wetness, which may look like newly-paved concrete on the road. Some locations where black ice commonly appears includes in the shade, bridges, low-lying places where water from thawing snow might run, and locations where other automobiles have already slide off the road. If the road looks wet, look at the tires of the automobile ahead of you to see if they are throwing spray into the air. If they are not, there may be black ice. However, to be realistic, you ought to assume that black ice could be anywhere if the temperature is under thirty-eight to 40 degrees.

If you want to steer clear of the St. Louis auto body damage that is included with black ice crashes, just use a bit of common sense. First and foremost, slow down and keep that seatbelt on. Driving less quickly will provide you with better traction and additional reaction time. As such, the best way to stay away from the temptation of speeding up is to budget additional time to get wherever you’re heading. Additionally, do not use cruise control. You’ll want to be fully in control whenever you are driving on winter roads.

I wish that I could tell you precisely how to react if you come across black ice, but I can’t because I do not know what kind of automobile you drive. The best way for you to understand what to do is to familiarize yourself with your car so that you will be prepared if and when the time comes. You can do this by checking the vehicle owner’s manual where it discusses the braking system. You can even go to a wide open area in St. Louis, Missouri such as a parking lot when there’s snow and ice to practice your slippery driving maneuvers.

Keep your focus ahead of the imminent so that you can have additional time to react if something comes up. Keeping three or four car-lengths from the automobile ahead of you will also allow you to have additional time to react in a crisis situation. Utilize your headlights to increase visibility for you and for the cars close to you. Although the Christmas season means lengthy car trips for lots of families, avoid driving for too long so that you can stay sharp. Keep control over your vehicle by avoiding unneeded abrupt motions.

St. Louis, Missouri auto body shops see lots of automobiles each year because people got preoccupied or forgot to take the extra precautions necessary to guarantee a safe trip. If you have ever gotten into an auto body accident because of black ice, you can surely verify this fact. Although I hope these tips have helped you substantially, black ice can still cause auto body damage to your automobile. If that’s the case, think about taking it to Car Craft Auto Body in St. Louis, MO.