Our advice for safe driving in freezing rain
Freezing rain, also known as "supercooled rain", is a dangerous and dreaded weather phenomenon because it is unpredictable, fleeting and highly localised.
Freezing rain warnings issued by Météo France are taken very seriously by motorway operators, who put their field teams on maximum alert.
Indeed, nothing can prevent the ground from freezing during freezing rain: neither preventive salting, nor the teams' watch. It's only once the rain has fallen that the teams can take action.
That's why it's important for drivers to follow specific safety instructions.
What is freezing rain?
Freezing rain is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs during periods of transition when a mild spell of weather follows a period of cold. The rain turns to ice on contact with the ground or a frozen object, such as a vehicle windscreen.
This process is both complex and rare, characterised by its brevity, highly localised nature and unpredictability.
The danger lies in the sudden formation of slippery surfaces, making roads and pavements particularly dangerous. This rapid metamorphosis of rain into ice requires increased vigilance on the part of users and weather services to anticipate and react effectively to these icy episodes.
What are the consequences of freezing rain on the road?
Freezing rain causes extremely dangerous driving conditions, with a considerable impact on road safety:
To cope with these conditions, it is advisable to adopt a rigorous driving style and remain constantly attentive to traffic conditions and weather information.
What should you do when driving in freezing rain?
When faced with freezing rain at the wheel, caution and preparation are essential. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure your safety and that of other drivers:
How do the teams treat pavements against freezing rain?
No preventive method is effective in anticipating freezing rain. Salting roads in advance does not prevent ice formation.
In the event of a weather warning, our teams are on heightened alert, ready to intervene with specialised equipment.
When the phenomenon begins, they quickly deploy vehicles equipped with blades to scrape off the ice and systems to disperse brine, a water solution with a high salt concentration, to melt the ice and restore grip to the road.
This rapid, targeted intervention is crucial to restoring safety to roads affected by icy precipitation.
Faced with the unpredictable threat of freezing rain, drivers and road maintenance crews alike need to be vigilant at all times.