Fortuner hangs off a cliff after skidding on black ice: Locals rescue 5 people [Video]

The winter months in India cause massive drops in temperatures in the Himalayan region. Due to this drop, most of the roads become unaccessible. Here is an incident that happened on one such road in Himachal Pradesh. The Toyota Fortuner was saved after it skidded and slipped on the slippery black ice surface.

An incident occurred near Batal Road on the Kaza-Manali highway, involving a skidding Fortuner.

Locals from Losar rescued five tourists, advising them against traveling on this road. Black ice, often underestimated, poses a risk that people might not be fully aware of.

Safety… pic.twitter.com/ZdxXlpPool

— Rattan Dhillon (@ShivrattanDhil1) December 20, 2023

The incident is from Batal, Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh. The video shows the Toyota Fortuner hanging from the cliff. The locals then show how slippery the black iced road was and why did the Fortuner skid to hang like that.

According to the information, tourists from Chandigarh were travelling in this Fortuner and they vehicle skidded on the slippery black icy road. The driver of the SUV could not control the vehicle and it was left hanging from the cliff.

The locals rescued the five passengers in the vehicle. The video shows the whole stretch of the road under a thick ice cover. Even with highly capable 4X4 vehicles, negotiating such surfaces can be impossible. Most cars in India come with road-biased tyres to ensure maximum fuel efficiency. These tyres offer little to almost zero traction on slippery surfaces. This is what likely happened with the family in the Toyota Fortuner.

We are not sure if this is a 4X4 Fortuner, but even if it is, driving on such surfaces remains a challenge even for the most experienced drivers. As the tyres struggle to find any kind of traction, such surfaces can make the car out of control.

While the minute details are not available, we think that the family reached the spot after the sunset, which is why they could not figure out if it is water or black ice. Such surfaces are formed when the temperature drops below zero and the water flowing across the road freezes. This is also called black ice and it can be dangerous to drive on it.

Driving on black ice

In cold regions, black ice forms overnight when temperatures drop close to zero degrees Celsius. This occurs when water on the road freezes, creating a highly slippery surface. Black ice can be deceiving as it resembles a wet patch, making it difficult to identify. Many motorcyclists often encounter accidents on black ice due to sudden braking or acceleration. Panic braking when realizing the slipperiness also leads to loss of grip.

The most effective way to deal with black ice is to spot it and drive cautiously over it. Since identifying black ice can be challenging, it is advisable to drive with extra care, particularly in the early morning and after sunset. Slowing down further upon encountering any wet patches on the road is crucial. Black ice typically melts once the sun rises, but it may persist in shaded areas for longer periods. To drive on black ice, maintaining a steady speed without changing gears is important. Additionally, maintaining proper tire conditions ensures optimal grip. Replacing tires when the tread depth goes below 1.5mm maximizes grip on all types of surfaces. Snow chains can provide additional traction but may be challenging to install. However, if you anticipate encountering freezing temperatures in areas with water bodies or waterfalls, snow chains can be very beneficial.

If you don’t have snow chains and must navigate a black ice patch, reducing tire pressure can increase the tire’s contact area with the surface and improve traction.