DRIVING ON ICY roads is extremely dangerous and this morning was no different with warnings coming in advising people to take care.

But how do Irish motorists feel about driving in such conditions?

A survey by AA Roadwatch found that 90% of women drivers said they feel some degree of anxiety when driving on icy roads – compared to just two thirds of men.

However, the survey also found that more men (51%), than women (40%), had significantly lost control of their vehicle when negotiating icy roads.

AA reported that this would suggest that heightened anxiety results in more cautious driving:

Further demonstrating that female motorists tend to be more tentative than their male counterparts, 21% of the females we polled said they’ll avoid driving on icy roads if at all possible when conditions are particularly bad as a result of a past scare. This compares to 11% of males.

Forget fog and rain – we all hate the ice

Icy roads came out on top as the driving condition that most people worried about – 30% said they worried about driving on ice compared to 11% during fog and 6% during a bout of torrential rain.

Niall Carson Niall Carson

The majority of people surveyed said it was the unpredictable behaviour of other motorists rather than their own abilities that makes them feel uncomfortable with the prospect of icy roads.

One member of staff at AA said their car was shunted off the road during ice when the driver to their rear braked too severely for the conditions skidding into their tale.

What county can handle the ice best?

Despite typically experiencing some of the most challenging driving conditions during periods of snow – Wickow drivers seem to know how to handle the conditions.

Niall Carson Niall Carson

In the online poll of nearly 10,000 people – fewer drivers living in Wicklow (than in any other county) indicated they’ve had a near miss or collision when driving on icy roads.

AA Roadwatch added that while its patrols are frequently tasked to areas around Roundwood, The Sallygap and The Wicklow Gap during cold snaps – it’s often drivers from further afield who have underestimated the conditions.

This driver in Co Clare used a dashcam to show the varying conditions on the roads in Ennis last night:

For advice on driving in snow and ice and what to do if you find yourself skidding, check out the AA Roadwatch website here.

 Read: Your Pictures: Gorgeous snow blankets country but motorists face meltdown>