Guri-Pocheon Expressway, 47-Vehicle Pileup
Snow on Road Freezes, Creating Icy Surface
Asphalt Color Similarity Makes Response Difficult
As winter temperatures drop and snow falls, driving cars on the road becomes challenging. Chain collision accidents are frequently occurring due to the roads being frozen solid.
On the night of the 15th, a collision involving about 40 cars occurred on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway in Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in one death and three serious injuries. A heavy snow warning was issued for Pocheon that day, and snow fell from the morning. Police and firefighters who arrived at the scene confirmed the icy and slippery road conditions, diagnosing that black ice was likely the cause of the accident.
Black Ice, Same Color as Asphalt... Difficult to Detect
Around 9:15 PM on the 15th, a chain collision involving about 40 vehicles occurred on the Guri-Pocheon Expressway heading toward Pocheon in Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi Province. The photo shows the scene of the accident. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Black ice refers to a phenomenon where melted snow or rain on the road suddenly freezes due to a rapid drop in temperature, forming a thin sheet of ice that is as slippery as an ice rink. It mainly occurs late at night when temperatures drop or early in the morning when there is fog, frequently forming on shaded roads, tunnels, underpasses, bridges, and elevated roads. These places are suitable for ice formation because of low temperatures, shade, and high humidity.
The problem is that black ice freezes together with accumulated road soot, giving it the same black color as asphalt, making it difficult for drivers to detect. Because of this, chain collision accidents caused by black ice are common in winter. The main cause of a four-car collision near Sinan Bridge in Sinan-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City on December 27 last year was also identified as black ice.
Black Ice More Dangerous Than Snow-Covered Roads
On December 23 last year, when a heavy snow warning was issued, a vehicle was driving slowly with its hazard lights on in Yuchon-dong, Gwangju. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Traffic accidents caused by black ice generally result in far more fatalities than accidents on snow-covered roads. According to the Korea Transport Institute, an analysis of traffic accident fatalities from 2015 to 2019 showed that 170 people died in black ice-related accidents, nearly four times the 46 deaths caused by snow-covered road accidents.
Black ice, which unsettles drivers, can lead to serious accidents if not properly handled. Experts recommend reducing vehicle speed and driving slowly as basic safety rules to prevent black ice accidents, as well as maintaining a sufficient distance from the car ahead.
They also advise that when braking on black ice, applying the brakes intermittently several times can reduce stopping distance and prevent accidents. Additionally, they emphasize avoiding sudden acceleration and braking, and slowing down while turning corners to carefully control speed.
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