The Dangers Of Summer Ice

The team at Drury Tyres wants you and your family to be safe on the roads at all times. We’re a family company ourselves, so this is very important to us. That’s why we sell the highest-quality new and used tyres in Auckland, and try and pass on as much safety information as we can. This post is a perfect example of that as we explain the dangers of summer ice and how to handle it.

Most people think our roads are at their most slippery in winter, when rain, ice and snow are common. But they can be just as slippery during the warmer months thanks to a phenomenon known as summer ice. During the long dry spells we experience every summer, a tricky cocktail of dust, dirt, oil and many other materials build up on the surface of our roads. When the dry spell is finally broken, rain makes this combination a very greasy one and the road becomes extremely slippery as a result. The greatest risk to drivers is shortly after the onset of rain, although it may continue to affect the surface for hours (however the materials will gradually be washed away making for a “cleaner” road surface.)

Summer ice is the term commonly used to describe these conditions on New Zealand roads, both in the city and in rural areas. They’re pretty much like the black ice we often encounter in winter because the road is slippery, but it isn’t visible to drivers. It doesn’t take much rain to stir up this greasy cocktail and as this is a gradual build-up of material on the road surface, there is no way it can be treated. This means you need to keep your wits about you if you’re driving and it starts to rain after a long spell of dry weather. Here are a few things you can do to stay safe:

• When it starts to rain, slow down.
• Take extra care on curves
• Increase the following distance from vehicles in front of you
• Brake and steer gently. Sudden, abrupt movements on slippery roads are dangerous
• Allow extra travel time should you encounter summer ice conditions

Having the right amount of tread on your tyres will also help when driving in slippery conditions. So if your tyres are a bit bald, we can set you up with some new or used ones. Contact us and let our family look after yours.