Winter is here and Saskatchewan motorists are reminded to be cautious and safe on the road.
Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) says drivers should stay at least 6-seconds behind other vehicles in poor conditions. On average, 8.5-thousand collisions occur when road and weather conditions are poor. These collisions result in an average of 1.5-thousand injuries and 21 deaths annually in Saskatchewan.
In cold conditions, a lot more salt is needed to melt ice. At temperatures below -6 degrees Celsius, road salt loses its effectiveness. For example at -1 C, 1 kg of salt will melt 46.3 kg of ice, but will melt only 3.2 kg of ice at -23 C.
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Snow and ice are more slippery at 0 degrees Celsius than at -20 degrees Celsius or below.
Black ice (glare ice or clear ice) refers to a thin coating of glazed ice on the road. Not truly black, it is virtually transparent and invisible to drivers.
At temperatures below -18 degrees, ice can form on roadways when the moisture from automobile exhaust condenses on the road.
Ice covered roads can require around 12 times the normal distance to stop a vehicle.
Winter equipment operators are available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
The Highway Hotline provides the public with up-to-date road conditions and highway driving information. This service is provided 7-days a week, 24-hours a day. www.highways.gov.sk.ca
Mobile : http://roadinfo.telenium.ca/mobile.html
SaskTel cellular network : *ROAD
Across Canada : 1-888-335-7623
Saskatoon: 933-8333
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