Icy roadways make for hilarious videos of cars sliding down hills on social media (so long as it’s not your car getting smashed up). And runners who think they’re immune to slick surfaces. But they also increase the risk of being injured in an accident.
WHY IS THIS THE CASE?
When roadways ice over and a car goes careening over that ice, its momentum isn’t slowed by hitting the brakes. The result is that wrecks that might be simple fender benders any other time of the year can turn into more serious collisions in winter’s icy conditions.
So when the temperature drops below freezing and there has been rain, we caution drivers to raise their awareness, leave plenty of room between them and the car in front of them, and slow down. Always be alert for “black ice” that is more difficult to see in the roadways. caution in icy conditions is the best way to avoid wrecks and injuries.
WHAT TO DO IF IT HAPPENS TO YOU
However, if you are involved in a wreck caused by ice, you should be aware of the potential for increased injury from the force of the impact. Whiplash and other strains are very common results of collisions caused by ice simply because the cars strike each other with more force than is typical when ice is not involved.
These collisions can also be deceptive. You might think a sore back or neck is not a big deal because a car simply “slid” into you, but if an impact is great enough to cause damage to metal, it is likely great enough to cause injury to a person.
ALWAYS SEEK TREATMENT
Don’t dismiss soreness or pain after a wreck. If you’ve been involved in a collision and are suffering from pain in the back or neck, you could have sustained a serious injury that needs to be treated by a professional. Even if you think your injury might not be serious, it’s best to get checked out. Go see Hamilton Mill Family Complete Care and have Dr. Glassman rule out any injury, just to stay on the safe side.
