How to Avoid Slips, Trips & Falls in Winter Weather

Winter is truly the double-edged sword of all seasons. On the plus side you have snowmen, Christmas and New Years. The flip-side of this holiday cheer however, is battling with ice covered roads and sidewalks. Unless you're fortunate enough to live on the west coast, or in the deep south -- chances are, you've faced this problem. The ice covered surfaces of winter become dangerous to anyone forced to navigate them. Preventing slipping, tripping and falling is all about being prepared and being proactive.

Things You'll Need

• Snow shovel
• Salt
• Ice melt
• Sand
• Kitty litter
• Shoes with cleats

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Instructions

• 1

  Shovel any and all of the snow off of the surface. Cold air and snow are sometimes your first indicator that hard times are ahead. It's important to get snow shoveled off of your steps, sidewalk or driveway, as soon as possible. The longer it sits there, the more time it has to pack and harden. Then before you know it, you've got a thick sheet of ice that used to be just snow.

• 2

  Pour some salt or ice melt onto the ice. Products like Magic Salt burn and break down ice chemically. Magic Salt is effective in temperatures as low as 30 degrees. Some salt or ice melt products are bad for your grass, so it's important to use these products conservatively.

• 3

  Throw some sand on the ice to create traction. Sand can be a powerful weapon when it comes to combating slipping. If you don't have access to sand, try using kitty litter. You need the abrasive surface to counteract the slippery surface.

• 4

  Buy some shoes with cleats. Sometimes you won't be able to avoid ice. Purchasing some shoes with ice or snow cleats will assist you by actually digging their sharp points into the icy surfaces with every step you take. You can either buy shoes that have the cleats built on, or you can buy the cleats themselves and fit them to your shoes.