FACT SHEET: Road Salt - Saves lives, protects commerce

Download a PDF of this fact sheet for easy printing (pdf 112.13 kB)

Road salt saves lives

Every winter, more than 116,000 Americans are injured and over 1,300 are killed on snowy, slushy or icy pavement. It is no wonder, then, that the sight of salt trucks reassures citizens. Road salt saves lives and protects commerce.

A Marquette University study examined highway accidents in snow. Road salt reduced:

• Crashes by 88%.
• Injuries by 85%.
• Accident costs by 85%.

Battling snow and ice comes with a price tag, of course, but the study’s cost-benefit analysis shows it is well worth the investment. Deicing pays for itself a mere 25 minutes after salt is spread.

Road salt protects commerce

When broader economic costs are factored in, deicing makes even more sense. That’s because road salt protects local and state economies by preventing costly winter shutdowns of the roadways of commerce.

A study of 16 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces conducted by IHS Global Insight for the American Highway Users Alliance found that:

• Snowstorms cost states as much as $700 million per day in both direct and indirect costs if roads are impassable.
• Snow-related shutdowns harm hourly workers the most.
• The negative economic impact of road closures far exceeds the cost of snow and ice removal.

Sources: The Marquette University study, commissioned by the Salt Institute, examined two-lane and four-lane highways in New York, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The IHS Global Insight study, commissioned by the American Highway Users Alliance, examined the economic impact of snowstorms in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario and Quebec.

Last update: 2/15/12

ABOUT THE SALT INSTITUTE: The Salt Institute is a North American based non-profit trade association dedicated to advancing the many benefits of salt, particularly to ensure winter roadway safety, quality water and healthy nutrition. See www.saltinstitute.org or call 703-549-4648.