Black ice danger lingers after snowstorm passes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is warning drivers about the dangers of black ice as road-clearing operations continue after this week's snowstorm.

"So what basically happens is individuals will be out traveling in what looks like a normal roadway, normal conditions, and when they go to stop they're going to find out that that's actually a sheet of ice," patrol Cpl. Kyle Green said. "It's going to cause them to go off into the ditch or strike something else."

According to AAA, winter storms, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are factors in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter.

Temperatures around Mid-Missouri will drop overnight and again overnight Friday into the single digits in parts of the area, meaning any ice or snow melted during the clearing operations in daylight will refreeze.

Green said speeding is one of the main contributing factors to crashes on slick roads.

"They may think that 'well, if the speed limit is 70 and I'm going ... 60 in the snow then that's fine' ... and it's not," Green said.

Winter weather also increases the likelihood of people getting injured. MU Health treated about 10 injured patients yesterday.

"A majority of those were slip and falls, so people that are heading outside and they have to get the mail or walk outdoors for another reason and often getting or losing their foot traction on that packed snow or ice," MU Health Care doctor Christopher Sampson said.

Sampson also said University Hospital treated different kinds of weather-related injuries Thursday, including arm and ankle injuries, broken bones and head injuries.

Green said the best way pedestrians can prevent themself from sliding is by staying put in their homes.

"There's really not a lot that we do safety-wise to advise other than to just be careful when you're out there," Green said.