When winter roads are unsafe, motorists suffer physically and economically.

At times, you might feel powerless when storms hit and you must wait for snowfighters to remove snow and ice from roads. But the voices of motorists can be powerful, especially when budgets are determined for the upcoming winter. Here are seven ways you can advocate for safe winter roads.

  1. Find out when the municipality responsible for keeping your local roads safe works on its budget and ask your elected officials to fully fund essential winter road maintenance, which includes advance purchase and safe storage of road salt.
  2. Remind elected officials that voters expect cleared, open and safe winter roads, even after heavy snowstorms, and have long memories when holding public officials accountable for inadequate preparation and response times.
  3. Recommend “sensible salting” and other environmentally sensitive practices that do not compromise on safety.
  4. Email, mail or hand deliver informative resources on this site, especially the Roadway Safety Foundation’s Clear Winter Roads brochure.
  5. Use social media to keep informed and share your passion about safe winter roads. “Like” Safe Winter Roads on Facebook. “Follow” Safe Winter Roads on Twitter.
  6. Document unsafe winter roads with photographs and video, which can be posted on social media. Show your neighbors and elected officials the consequences of poor preparation.
  7. Conversely, document and commend excellent public snowfighting.
HELPFUL PAGES ON THIS SITE

How safe Winter Roads impact commerce
How safe Winter Roads impact safety
How road salt works

OTHER RESOURCES

Roadway Safety Foundation’s Clear Winter Roads brochure
Federal Highway Administration data and index on snow and ice
Winter Weather Highway Safety: Preventing Crashes, Injuries and Deaths: American Highway Users Alliance (PDF)
Roadway Safety Foundation

ARTICLES

Big Snow Storms Can Make Or Break Politicians (NPR transcript, audio)
Snow & Politics: A volatile mix (Chicago Examiner)
Nationwide snowstorms wreak havoc for businesses, economy
Mayors Grow Attuned to the Politics of Snow Removal (New York Times)
Politicians’ reputations can be buried by snowstorms (Washington Post)
Bloomberg Takes Blame for Response to Snowstorm (New York Times)

VIDEO

The Salt Guru: Coping with Winter (Salt Institute)
Salt of the Earth: A Winter Weather Staple (CBS)
How the pros fight snow in Syracuse, N.Y (Highway Users Alliance)
Thumbs up to Frederick County, Md., snow and ice removal crews (Highway Users Alliance)
Cars sliding on ice like hockey pucks in Seattle (YouTube)
Cars, bicycles, pedestrians, wiping out on ice in the Netherlands (YouTube, forward to :52 for action to start)
“Ice Storm Insanity” slideshow(YouTube)