Terrifying black ice accident prompts influencer to share safety message
An East Coast influencer is lucky to have recovered after her car hit a patch of black ice in 2022. Now she wants people to be aware of the danger. The Weather Network's Nathan Coleman met up with Cailin O'Neil to discuss.
Cailin O'Neil, an influencer and vlogger from Nova Scotia, isn't used to shooting videos like this (see above).
Last November, O'Neil was driving from Digby to Weymouth, N.S., on Highway 101 when her car slid and touched the shoulder.
“I tried to correct it, and my car kind of went like this and just spun out and lost control. I went down into the ditch, and I flipped at least once. No one saw it, though; there was no one around,” she tells The Weather Network.
Cailin O'Neil miraculously escaped with relatively minor injuries (Submitted)
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O'Neil experienced relatively minor injuries such as seatbelt bruising and hair loss due to broken glass, but overall, she emerged relatively unharmed. Eventually, she was able to catch the attention of a passing car to seek assistance.
She says she was driving the speed limit, and black ice was likely the culprit.
“Earlier that day, it had been snowing, and the road was a little bit wet. It was probably around 4 degrees. And I’m assuming it must have been black ice, and my car just lost control on it," said O'Neil.
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In addition to seatbelt bruising, O'Neil suffered hair loss from broken glass from her car. (Submitted)
Black ice is a sneaky hazard that often catches drivers off guard. This treacherous icy formation is deceptively invisible, blending seamlessly with the road surface. Created when snow melts and then refreezes onto pavement, black ice is notorious for causing vehicles to lose traction, leading to dangerous situations on the roads.
O'Neil says she wasn’t sure how to react when she lost control.
“I don’t think I slammed on the brakes; I just tried to control it, but it was hopeless at that point.”
O'Neil says she wasn’t sure how to react when she lost control. (Submitted)
The general rule is to avoid hitting the brakes if you encounter black ice, and try to keep your steering wheel straight if possible, while allowing your car to pass over the ice.
O'Neil's advice to drivers who encounter a similar situation is: “Stay calm; always wear your seatbelt, for sure. I also had a puffy jacket on that day, so I’m sure that helped as well, but just be careful when you’re driving when the weather is changing between fall and winter.”
