Safe driving tips for icy winter roads

[Anchor]

When there is heavy snowfall and the temperature drops significantly, the roads can turn into icy paths, making driving very difficult.

Reporter Lee Se-heum looked into what preparations are necessary for safe driving on snowy roads.

[Report]

A tank truck with a crushed roof is lying beside the road.

The accident occurred around noon today (11.28).

It appears to have slipped on the snowy road.

[Jang Jin-hwan/Researcher at Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology: "In early winter or at the beginning of winter, drivers are not yet adapted to winter roads, and due to heavy snowfall, roads are icy (which likely led to many accidents)."]

Reducing speed is essential on snowy or icy roads during winter.

The tire's friction decreases to about one-fifth, significantly increasing the stopping distance.

According to the Road Traffic Act, if there is more than 2 cm of snow on the road or if the surface is frozen, drivers are required to operate at half the regulated speed.

To ensure safe driving in winter, appropriate equipment must also be prepared.

It is advisable to replace tires with winter ones and to install snow chains when driving in areas with heavy snow accumulation.

If changing tires or attaching chains is difficult, spraying a product that enhances tire grip is also an option.

When testing the stopping distance of vehicles equipped with winter gear versus those without on actual snowy roads, the difference is significant.

[Lee Ho-geun/Professor at Daeduk University Department of Future Automotive Engineering: "Using spray chains on all-season tires provides almost the same effect as winter tires. It lasts for about 20 minutes."]

In winter, the ground temperature can be up to 4 degrees lower than the air temperature.

Particular attention should be paid to road conditions on bridges or at tunnel exits where icing is frequent.

This is KBS News, Lee Se-heum.