Overview
- The Met Office’s yellow alert for ice following Storm Chandra warns of hazardous pavements and untreated routes, with a stated risk of injuries from slips and falls.
- Medical groups including SERMEF and U.S. clinicians urge a short, flat-footed, slightly forward-leaning gait with knees bent and hands free to improve stability on slick surfaces.
- Emergency physicians report spikes in head, wrist and hip injuries during icy spells, noting older adults face the most serious consequences from falls.
- Experts caution that black ice can persist in shaded spots, near curbs and between parked cars, and recommend footwear with rubber or neoprene traction over smooth soles or high heels.
- Authorities advise unhurried driving, extra stopping distance and winter car kits, and the NHS says to call emergency services for suspected head, neck or spinal injuries rather than moving someone who has fallen.