Winter Safety – How to keep your driveway safe

December 7th, 2013  |  Insurance

While much is written about winter safety in terms of driving and making sure your home is protected from the winter weather, there is another area of winter safety that is just as important – keeping your driveway safe during the winter. An uncared for driveway during the winter can lead to many potential issues such as slip and falls.

Here are four effective ways to keep your driveway safe this winter:

1. Shovel immediately after it snows: It is important to clean your driveway as soon as possible after a snow fall. Keeping it clear will prevent the snow from hardening, turning into ice, and making the surface of your driveway extremely slippery.
2. Use salt or sand: Add salt, sand, or other products that will keep your driveway safe and reduce slippery spots.
3. Break up ice: Ice can be very dangerous and this is why it’s important to keep an eye on ice build-up and break it up as soon as possible.
4. Avoid creating huge snow piles: Piling up the snow at the end of your driveway can create an obstruction that can get in the way of you seeing traffic on your street and also prevent other drivers from seeing you as you back out of your driveway.

Keeping your driveways safe during the winter is an important task for all homeowners. With so many people using your driveway and sidewalk all the time, you need to keep them clear to avoid injuries and potential lawsuits from slip and falls.

What steps do you take to ensure you driveway is safe and free of snow and ice during the winter months?