Living in New England, you know that letting snow build up on your car and driving on salt-covered roads throughout the winter can affect your vehicle. But, what about ice? Beyond the damage caused from sliding on black ice, be mindful of the following when temperatures drop below freezing.
When Ice Freezes to Your Car
A coating of ice on your car can be just as damaging as snow; the hard, slick shell it creates is even harder to remove.
What should you do when you’re unable to brush the ice off? First off, only use your scraper on the windows. Its edge is too harsh for paint and could create scratches that lead to rust and corrosion.
Do not attempt to melt the ice with hot water, either. This common DIY hack may cause your car’s glass to crack and shatter if the temperature suddenly changes. Also, once the droplets fall and pool on the ground, you’ve got to deal with ice covering your driveway or parking space.
What can you do to avoid damage? Start by removing any large chunks with your hands or sliding them off with a brush. To accelerate this process, turn your vehicle on, so it warms up and starts to melt the ice from the inside.
Flying and Falling Ice
Think fast – a sheet of ice just flew off the car in front of you and it’s headed toward your window. This occurrence happens when you don’t thoroughly clean all ice and snow off your car and chunks begin to fly off. In heavy traffic, one piece could easily impact a vehicle behind or to the side of your own.
When this happens, your car and your safety are both jeopardized:
- The ice may be hard enough to crack or shatter a windshield.
- The ice might fly fast enough to create dents or tear off a side mirror.
- The hard surface easily scratches paint.
- The ice’s impact may be so strong that you lose control and crash into another car or adjacent object.
Cars traveling at high speeds are not your only risk. When you’re in a parking lot, sheets of ice or sharp icicles may fall off a building onto the parked cars below. As a driver, think about where you park your vehicle in the winter. If you own or manage a building, factor in this risk and take the appropriate measures to clean off the roof and all gutters.
Sliding Around on Ice
Whether the road is clearly covered in a slick sheet or you’ve just come across black ice, it’s a frightening experience to feel like you’ve suddenly lost control on the road. Even when you’re slow and cautious, the situation can creep up on you.
As a result, you may skid and slide, carefully maneuvering on the slippery surface until you hit a guardrail or mailbox. Worse, your car could hit another from behind or to the side, resulting in significant vehicle and property damage.
Whether you were recently involved in an ice-related accident, scraped your car too hard or had a sheet of ice fall on your windshield, work with DaSilva’s team to get all repairs done efficiently. To make an appointment, give us a call today.
