Are you expecting holiday guests this winter? If so, it's important for you to keep your driveway safe for the people arriving at your property. Slippery driveways can lead to accidents and lawsuits. To help ensure that your holidays are merry and bright, follow these tips to keep your driveway safe.
Match Your De-Icing Salt to the Temperature
In low temperatures, de-icing salts can fail to melt ice, and each de-icing salt has a different minimum low temperature. You can maximize the effectiveness of your de-icing salt by using salt that melts at very low temperatures, just in case temperatures drop before your holiday guests are scheduled to arrive. Calcium chloride can melt ice at temperatures up to negative 25 degrees Fahrenheit and is one of the best options for melting ice during extreme lows.
Know What to Do If the Ice Won't Melt
If de-icing won't melt ice in your driveway because the temperatures are too low, then you'll have to find some other way to create a non-slick surface for your guests. Your options include:
- Sand. Shovel all snow off the driveway and sprinkle the remaining ice with coarse sand.
- Heated walkway mats. Lay down heated walkway mats over a portion of your driveway to melt the ice and provide a safe path for your guests to walk. Read the manufacturer recommendations on the mat before allowing cars in the driveway to drive over the mats. If your mats can't tolerate the weight of a car, don't allow guests to park on your driveway.
- Pick away the ice. Use an outdoor ice pick to chip away the ice on your driveway.
Light the Way
Stand in your driveway after dark and look for areas of shadow that can lead to falls. If your driveway is poorly lit, you can either install a motion activated security light that will flood the area with bright, white light, or you can install more holiday lights in the area around the driveway. Using the bigger, more powerful holiday bulbs to light the front yard may be more effective than installing little twinkle lights.
Reroute When Necessary
If your driveway remains slippery despite your best efforts to make it safer for your guests, re-route your guests to a safer, less slippery part of your property. If the people who are coming to your home are people who are used to using your driveway to reach your door, put up a clear barricade that prevents them from setting foot on your driveway. For example, string garland up around your driveway and attach signs to the garland redirecting guests to use another path to your front door.
Following these tips will help you keep guests safe when they're arriving at your home for the holidays. However, if an accident like a slip or a fall should happen in your driveway, or even elsewhere on your property, contact a personal injury attorney for help and advice. Starnes Rob P. LLC, Attorney At Law, may be able to assist you.
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