Yes we do drive on our lakes in Minnesota especially on big lakes where getting to your ice fishing shack may require motorized transportation. Our temps this winter have been up and down with several cars going through especially on narrow lake channels. The Minnesota DNR provides good information on ice safety:

• New ice is usually stronger than old ice
• Ice seldom freezes uniformly
• Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often dangerous
• The insulating effect of snow slows down the freezing process
• Booming and cracking ice isn’t necessarily dangerous
• Schools of fish or flocks of waterfowl can also adversely affect the relative safety of ice