If the temperature of ice on the roadway warms from zero to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, which statement is true?

• A. Your traction will increase
• B. Traction remains unchanged
• C. Traction will be cut in half
• D. Traction becomes unpredictable

Answer: (C)

As ice warms toward the melting point, it starts to form a thin layer of water on the surface. That water acts like a lubricant between your tires and the road, drastically reducing friction. With less grip, stopping and steering become much harder, so traction falls significantly. In many ice conditions, this loss can be substantial—roughly like cutting traction in half compared with dry pavement—so the statement about traction being halved reflects the big drop you’d expect as the ice melts. Traction wouldn’t increase with warming, and while surface conditions can vary, the general trend is a meaningful decrease in grip as ice reaches the melting point.