Hello!

I apologize for the extremelly silly question or if this is not the right forum for it.

I moved to Virginia two years ago from Florida (where I never saw icy roads), unfortunately last February I had a very bad accident over black ice and now I am scared to drive (mostly to hurt someone else).

I watch the weather channel before leaving my house and read every available "How to drive in icy conditions" article online. However, I am scared every time the temperature drops below 32.

Are there any other "required" physical conditions for the roads to be icy? Something that I could watch for? Humidity? Rain?

I really appreciate your help.

Jane

Ice usually forms from snow melting and then freezing before it evaporates.

Just drive slowly and don't brake or accelerate too quickly and you should be fine.

The biggest conditions are ground temperature and moisture. Moisture can come typically from rain or snow melting.

Warm air over iced conditions can yield a very slick surface.

I've driven on totally iced long bridges. Roads that were solid ice about 1/2" thick from an ice storm. 50-200 Miles in a snow storm.

Once I was out and a cop stopped me to warn me about the conditions. I came back the other way and found him on the snow bank.

There is really a couple of skills.
Awareness
Proper tires
Remember to "turn OFF" traction control in the rain or snow
Use a lower gear if necessary

And NO SUDDEN MOVES

All motion needs to be gradual. No steering suddenly. Do not accelerate suddenly. Slow down slowly.

So when a bridge ahead is solid ice and your going 40 MPH. Don't panic stop. Just hold the steering wheel straight and drive. The guy that panics, slams into the bridge. Yep seen it happen.

I do like a manual tranmission when driving on ice. Sports cars have road feel.

The sign "Bridge freezes before road surface" or the stupid sign "Bridge Ice before Highways" really means something. Since the mass of the bridge is lower than the ground and wind can cool the bridge iceing happens there before it does the road.

Try being on an interstate bridge that's probably a 1/2 mile long at 5:30 AM in the morning when it's solid ice.

While we are on the subject of driving, you need to also learn what "Deer Crossing" really means. It means the deer sees your headlights and freezes in front of you and you smack into it.
It does a lot of damage to a car. Never did it. Had a deer freeze in front of me. I stopped. Turned off the lights. Deer ran off. I continued on.

In my current car. I would have to turn off the engine and open the door or turn off the engine. Put car in park. Put brake on. Start engine again. Not sometihing you can do quickly.

You will also hear the term "black ice". It really means very clear ice which is not itself visible but which is so clear it allows you to see the road under it clearly.

I agree with the above. While snow can be slick and a problem to drive in, it does provide some traction. I worry more about the days after the snow when the ice melts and and random patches of ice form. In general around VA and MD they will get the main roads fairly clear fairly soon after a moderate storm, and the traffic volume will keep them pretty clear of ice. But you have to watch the side roads.

If it is freezing rain and you can stay at home, do so until it warms up. To me freezing rain is much more dangerous than snow.