WASHINGTON 鈥� When snow threatens or falls, the best way for local governments to keep drivers safe is treating and pre-treating the roads with brine and salt.聽
It鈥檚 a safety measure that helps avoid crashes, but it comes with a long-term price if drivers are not careful: rust damage.
Over the past five years, motorists across the nation have shelled out $15.4 billion repairing rust caused by road salt, said John Townsend of AAA Mid-Atlantic.
鈥淚t has a devastating impact on our cars,鈥� he said.
And it isn鈥檛 just an issue of costliness or cosmetics. Over the years, rust can build up on important components and affect safety.
鈥淚f we get rust in our brake lines, the car doesn鈥檛 brake properly and that could cause a crash,鈥� Townsend said.
Treating roads is important: The Iowa Department of Transportation, for instance, found in a study that de-icing reduced collision frequency by 88 percent.
The state of Maryland, Townsend said, is on the cutting edge of balancing the need to treat roads with the damage chemicals and salt can cause. Over the past three winters, it has 聽by over 40 percent.
Ultimately, protecting one’s聽car from salt damage, he said, comes down to the owner. It is recommended that motorists wash their cars very well, before winter, after any snowstorm and at winter’s end.
鈥淧ay particular attention to the undercarriage and to the brake lines. Make sure you wash that salt away,鈥� Townsend said.
And don鈥檛 forget those wheel wells. They need extra attention, too, he said.
