[News Today] Bridge, tunnel prone to icy roads

[LEAD]
Hidden thin ice is causing a series of serious accidents on winter roads. Bridges, overpasses and tunnel entrances are especially risky. Road surface temperatures can drop more than 10 degrees below the air temperature.

[REPORT]
A van suddenly skids on a bridge.

It goes on to cross the centerline, crash into the guardrail and then falls off the bridge.

Thin ice on the road is believed to have caused the incident.

Thin ice often forms on bridges, overpasses and tunnel entrances, making these areas particularly dangerous to drivers.

KBS took a measurement of the temperature on the bridge.

The thermometer reads minus 4 degrees Celsius.

But the road surface temperature is much lower at minus 17 degrees.

This is why ice easily forms on bridges due to strong winds and lack of geothermal heat.

It's the same situation at the start and end of tunnels.

It's minus 6 degrees inside a tunnel. But this plummets to minus 12 at the exit.

This temperature difference causes dew to condense near tunnel entrances and exits, and even ice is spotted here and there.

Choi Gwi-nam / Korea Road Traffic Authority
Vehicles bring warm air and when this meets the outside cold air, the road freezes up.

Surface temperature is also lower than air temperature on regular roads so vigilance is required at all times.

Prof. Seo Hyun-gon / Halla University
We think temperatures are up so it should be fine but the road surface can remain below freezing, so caution is needed.

Experts say it's best to drive slowly on icy roads and better to apply the brakes in short, repeated intervals rather than making a sudden brake.

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