The Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) says ice should be at least one foot (30 centimetres) thick before it’s safe to drive a car or light truck on a frozen body of water.
Ice should also be at least four inches (10 cm) thick before walking on it, eight inches (20 cm) to drive a snowmobile or an ATV over it and more than a foot thick to safely support a heavy truck.
The WSA said it’s also important to note that ice does not freeze at a “uniform thickness” and its strength can vary considerably from one are to another.
“The date that ice becomes safe at a particular site varies from year to year, requiring the verification of the thickness each year as opposed to relying on past experiences,” WSA said in a news release.
People should also avoid going on ice that looks slushy, has thawed and froze again, is near moving water, is layered after sudden temperature changes or has structures on it like pressure ridges, according to the WSA.
(Courtesy: Water Security Agency) “Ice thickness can be unpredictable and difficult to assess at times. To be sure, always check the ice thickness before you travel on it,” the release said.
