Why is the road surface different under the bridge?

Have you ever noticed in the winter that the road surface is often different under or on bridges? If you haven’t you might have asked why? The answer is because concrete freezes sooner than tarmac, and in winter the cold air above and below bridges will result in ice forming sooner.

Other areas that you should look for are exposed areas, such as gaps in hedges and county boundaries – because the Local Authority will only grit up to their boundary. The major roads will be gritted by the Highways Agency so won’t be affected by county boundaries.

So, what would be the first signs that you will notice if you are driving on ice? You will notice a lack of road noise and the steering to become lighter. If you find yourself on ice, do not brake, steer harshly or accelerate, as any of these could put you into a skid. If you find you are skidding the first thing to remember is remove the cause of the skid (harsh steering, accelerating, or braking) and then steer into the skid. This does take some practice which obviously can’t be done on the roads, so why not book a training course with one of the Driver Training providers.