Do or Die

life happens fast

and in an instant disaster

could strike

when the choices you make

the difference

between life and death

what would you do

put yourself to the test

and see if you have what it takes to

stay alive

Would You

Do or Die

it's the number one killer on winter

roads in the U.S claiming more than

twice as many lives most years then

severe thunderstorms tornadoes

and hurricanes combined

it's ice

and when it forms on the cold asphalt

it Blends in perfectly

making the road smooth

slick and dangerous

so imagine how terrifying it must be for

this trucker when he hits his brakes and

just keeps going

now jump inside the cab and take the

wheel

would you know how to survive this icy

skid

what would you do

a keep your eyes out for hazards and

accelerate to re-establish your grip

B apply slow constant pressure to the

brakes

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the gas

your back wheels lead the way

here's what you you should consider

you're at the helm of an 18-wheeler

skidding across the Interstate with

virtually no control

how did this happen

in the seconds before your wheels hit

the ice

they maintain traction with a force

known as static friction

it's the grip that forms where the tire

meets the road at the point of contact

the grooves in your Treads interlock

with the irregular surface of the

asphalt

like gears in a transmission but the

moment the wheels hit the ice the rugged

surface of the road becomes smooth and

most of that static friction

disappears you may as well be driving on

an oil slick

you need to do something to stop the

skids but what in this case under the

hood you have an engine with more than

400 horsepower strong enough to haul 40

tons of weight across the Interstate at

65 miles per hour

and then there's the truck's anti-lock

braking system

found in most modern cars anti-lock

brakes use sensors at the wheel's axles

to detect a sudden change in speed and

prevent your wheels from locking up

just letting it slide is not an option

it's time to make your choice a

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B

or c

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so what would you do if you're concerned

about your forward momentum you might be

tempted to put your foot down applying

slow constant pressure to your brakes

but even in the best conditions it can

take a fully loaded semi going 55 miles

per hour over a hundred yards

ice into the equation and it can be nine

times longer the length of 11 New York

City Blocks

and that's if your brakes have any

stopping power at all

chances are hitting the brakes on Ice

you'll lock up your wheels completely

suddenly your 18 tires might as well be

hockey pucks

and if you think you can rely on your

anti-lock brakes

think again no matter the size of the

vehicle on Ice even this safety feature

can fail to stop your wheels from

locking up

hit the brakes and you're speeding

toward trouble

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so if your wheels need to be spinning in

order to get traction you could jump

start that process by tapping on the gas

while keeping your eyes out for hazards

but hitting your gas could make your

tires spin in place and when they do

regrip the road You'll Rock it straight

toward whatever's in front of you

and an 80 000 pound truck crashing at 55

miles per hour

generates the same catastrophic Force as

a four-door sedan traveling five times

that speed

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as for keeping your eyes on the hazards

ahead idea

it may sound strange but experts advise

never focus on what you don't want to

hit

it's a phenomenon known as Target

fixation where drivers inadvertently

steer toward what they're staring at

that's one reason why police officers

usually approach cars pulled over on

busy highways from the passenger side

hit the gas while staring at hazards and

you're racing straight for impending

doom foreign

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so what should you do

whether you're in an 80 000 pound semi

or an 1800 pound smart car

if you hit ice take your foot off the

gas and let your back tires Lead the Way

by letting up on the gas you'll

automatically reduce your speed and that

alone could be enough to regain control

if not continue to gently steer the

wheel in the direction your back tires

are skidding

you may have to do it several times as

your rear end swings back and forth But

ultimately you'll be able to maintain

control

until the patch of ice ends

the driver of this truck handled his

skid like a pro gently easing the wheel

back and forth with his foot off the

accelerator until he regained control

if you want to survive the number one

killer on winter roads

follow his lead and steer clear of

disaster