Safewinterroads.org to serve motorists, snowfighters, public officials, media
As ice and snow threaten U.S. highways this winter, motorists, snowfighters, public officials and journalists can turn to a new website that aims to save lives and protect state and local economies. Safe Winter Roads (safewinterroads.org) was launched Nov. 2 with a focus on two troubling statistics:
- More than 116,000 Americans are injured and 1,300 killed every year on snowy or icy pavement.
- Snowstorms cost states as much as $700 million per day if roads become impassable.
“When a snowstorm hits, it’s more than just an inconvenience to motorists,” said Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute, which created the new site. “Lives are at risk if drivers must travel roads that are inadequately salted and cleared. State and local economies take big hits as commerce slows to a winter crawl.”
“At the Salt Institute, we have decades of experience keeping winter roads safe,” Roman continued. “We scoured our archives, boiled down the research to the most essential points and presented it in an accessible manner online.”
In a home-page video that can be embedded on other sites, Salt Institute Vice President Morton Satin, “The Salt Guru,” visits a salt storage facility to explain how salt is not only about safety, but “dollars and common sense.” He also emphasizes the need for best practices that protect the environment.
The new website has sections on safety, commerce, the environment and sensible salting, defined as “the right amount in the right place at the right time.” It packages this information in ways most relevant to the four target audiences: motorists, snowfighters, public officials and media.
ABOUT THE SALT INSTITUTE: Based in Alexandria, VA, the Salt Institute is a trade association promoting responsible salt use for roadway safety, nutrition and water quality.