A split-second decision could mean the difference between life and death when you hit a patch of ice on the road but experts say there are some things you can do to protect yourself and your family even in the iciest conditions.

     When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, even a thin layer of water on the road can freeze into a deadly sheet of ice.

"Anytime there's black ice forming on a bridge, there's instantly wrecks," said Jim Gregory of Goodlettsville Driver Training.

Gregory spends most of his time helping teens get their driver's licenses but says even the most experienced drivers  can be caught off guard after the first winter storm of the year.

"It's very dangerous because you can't see it," Gregory said.  "Usually you're on top of it before you know it's there."

He says you can't always predict where ice will be or when it will form, but there are ways to be prepared just in case...

"Keep your speed down," Gregory said.  "And be looking far ahead so that if other cars are having trouble in an area then you'll see it before you get to it."

Gregory  says if all of a sudden your car does start to skid, it's important to keep the wheel straight...and avoid the instinct to stop.

"You'll want to not use your brakes and not to panic because most people do panic whenever something happens," Gregory said.  "Usually that makes the situation worse than it was before."

He says there s no good way to try and fight the ice or change direction and says the best way to survive simply to stay calm and ride it out.

"Reduce your speed by letting off the accelerator and you'll make it over the ice," Gregory said.Black Ice Survival Guide - Eric Alvarez