A scoop of sand can keep you from sliding a long way. It’s easy to forget how treacherous winter driving gets. While your dependent upon the hardworking road crews for keeping roads and highways in drivable condition, you can take an active role in preventing skidding on your own driveway. Even if you pay for someone to plow your driveway for you, it helps to get ready for the freeze and thaw that can make the very beginning or very end of your drive a hazard.

Get set this fall by placing barrels of sand at the beginning and middle of your driveway. If you have a longer driveway it can make sense to place them every 100 feet or so. Place them where they won’t be affected by plowing and snowbanks, but within a few yards of the driveway edge for easy access. Barrels can be found in a variety of hardware stores in plastic, galvanized metal, or wood. A lid is handy to keep sand dry and unfrozen.

Avoid salt for a healthier lawn and use affordable sand, instead. It will give you the necessary traction without risking increased toxicity on your lawn or endangering your pets. In many towns you can get a pick-up truckload of road sand from the town facilities.

When you have a barrel set up and waiting, you’ll have an easy time scooping a few shovelfuls onto icy spots. You won’t have to walk very far on unstable footing or carry heavy loads of sand in foul weather.  The simple preparation of keeping full sand barrels might keep you from sliding off the driveway and being late for work!

You know what you won’t need sand for, though?  Getting rid of nasty potholes and leveling out your gravel driveway come spring — with the DR Power Grader.  Sand is great for making your driveway safer in the winter, but using it to maintain your drive year around is a beast of a job and will ultimately be very costly.  That’s why we’ve designed a better solution.