LAWTON Okla_ Oklahoma Highway Patrol said drivers should expect the unexpected when traveling on slick, icy roads.
They said the problem with "black ice" is you never know where it's going to be, how big the patch of black ice is, or how you're going to react while driving over it. That's why OHP is urging drivers to be extra cautious.
Some drivers, like Dwayne Hall of Comanche County, said their experience with black ice changed the way they drive. He said once you drive over it, it's something you will always remember
"I was coming south of Wichita, Kansas one time," Hall said. "I didn't know there was anything wrong until a vehicle in front of me spun around and went off. I was sure it was black ice, kicked it in neutral, let off the gas and guided straight ahead."
"Well, I was going very slowly," Coletta Gilbert said. "It wasn't that difficult to maneuver, but that mini heart attack that you have kind of makes you a little bit more nervous."
"I had my Dodge Neon, trying to do the fast and the furious thing," Michael Hyde said. "I was young and didn't see the ice. I slid, hit a curb and almost tore up my front bumper."
These drivers all say that nail-biting experience has made them more cautious on the roadways during icy road conditions. OHP Trooper Cody Jackson said just because you can't see the ice, doesn't guarantee its not there. So, it's important to be cautious and calm when driving over it.
"People need to make slight inputs when it comes to steering, breaking, acceleration rather than doing them abruptly," said Jackson. "If people can remember that and drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions rather than what's posted, that will greatly increase your chance of not having an accident."
Drivers who have experienced "black ice" say they're taking Trooper Jackson's advice seriously.
"Generally, you're driving at a slow speed," Gilbert said. "Regardless, when you slide, you slide. You don't know which direction you're going to go. So, just drive that much more cautiously and watch out for everybody else"
Trooper Jackson said none of the ice-related accidents Monday morning were fatal, but he said they could have been. That's why it's important to drive slow in icy road conditions and wear your seat belt.
