A certain number of accidents happen each year due to ice on the roadways. The cause for this unfortunate mishap is the formation of ice by various means, which makes the roads more slippery and thus prone to vehicular accidents. In connection with this kind of occurrence, local governments need to act and respond as quickly as possible to this particular problem that does have a correctable solution.

One part of a method for solving the problem is the formation of a winter maintenance team. The primary aim of this group is to ensure that traffic is flowing continuously, minimize delays during rush hours and prevent vehicular accidents. The team is expected to operate during winter months twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. One part of their accident prevention activity is to prevent sliding problems, for which they utilize sanding trucks or sanders.

Importance

During the winter season when prolonged heavy snowfall is predicted, all main thoroughfares should be treated before the temperature drops below the freezing point. This is typically done in the evening after the peak traffic hours and in the morning before peak traffic hours. The sanding process is absolutely necessary to avoid vehicular accidents and to promote the free flow of traffic on all roadways.

It is also important to go back out after the snowfall has stopped and the streets have been plowed. Some amounts of snow will always remain and this is subject to melting and re-freezing when the temperature falls lower either during the night-time hours or when the temperature again drops. It is also important to go back if there is any gap in the snowfall of up to half a day and/or if the rate of it falling significantly increases. This will put more problems on the road and potentially cover the sand that has already been spread and greatly diminish its effectiveness.

Benefits

Sand can perhaps be spread manually using a shovel or your bare hands on sidewalks. Anything larger than a sidewalk requires using dump trucks to spread sand in a much shorter period of time. By using sanding trucks, local governments can save time and resources as well as prevent many motor vehicle accidents that could happen.

It is particularly important that sanding trucks cover any overpasses or bridges first as these areas are especially prone to the effects of any low temperatures and/or freezing precipitation. The other roadways have the benefit of the warmth of the ground or earth underneath them to slow the freezing process. Bridges and overpasses have nothing but air underneath them and are thus prone to problems sooner than the average ground-based thoroughfare.

Sand and Rock Salt

The rock salt that is commonly dispersed on the roads is taken from an underground mine in Cleveland, Ohio. The combination of sand and rock salt and its effectiveness in the prevention of ice formation is further enhanced by the motor vehicle. When the vehicle’s tires run over the rock salt and crushes it onto the road, the salt increases its de-icing capabilities. This in turn will delay the freezing of water on the road until -60 to -80 degrees Celsius. Moreover, the combination of sand and salt increases the friction between the automobile tire and the road.

Many winter service vehicles are employed to keep roadways free from ice and avoid accidents. Sanding trucks are one of the vehicles that help in keeping the normal flow of traffic. They do indeed stop sliding problems on the roadways!