How Winter Gritting Can Damage Your Car

When winter approaches, people think of Christmas trees, turkey dinners and the warmth of a Yuletide log fire. And recently, it has been possible to experience ever more regularly the joys of a white Christmas. Following fresh snow falls, it is common to see a countryside dotted with snowmen and people enjoying the elements to the fullest.



But for the British motorist, swirling snow storms are a far from welcome sight. After heavy snowfalls, road networks are crippled and travel chaos is inflicted on thousands of anxious holiday commuters. For drivers, the winter months mean dangerous driving conditions as snow, sleet and ice all make driving a challenge.



To help keep roads and motorways open and ensure that the country remains on the move, gritting machines come out in force. But what exactly do gritters do?



Gritting machines commonly apply a combination of rock salt and sand to the roads. It has to be rock salt as traditionally sea salt is too fine for the machines to use. Salt helps lower the melting point of moisture thus preventing ice formation on the roads, while the sand helps ensure traction by increasing friction and tyre grip. Ideally, gritting is done in advance of snowfall as this puts down a layer of salt on the road prior to snowfall and ensures that snow does not have a chance to settle on the road and freeze.

Early attempts at gritting met with some opposition as concern was raised over the effect of salt on metal structures such as bridges. However, as the value of gritting became more apparent, it became a common practice across many countries. In the 60s and 70s concern was again raised. This time it was over the environmental impact of salt to water beds and soil. This led to the introduction of alternative de-icing chemicals and more efficient spreading systems.



In Britain, motorists recently raised concern over the new fleet of gritters. In 2008 the Highways Agency spent £45 million on a fleet of 430 new gritters. These new gritters use a combination of brine and salt to grit roads. The theory being that using the brine mixture will enable the roads to be gritted successfully using less salt, which is less costly and has less of an environmental impact.



But according to a comprehensive study undertaken in Austria where this type of gritting has been used before, it caused considerable damage to vehicles. The study stated that soon after its introduction, it triggered a wave of warranty claims; with motorists claiming for damages caused by rusting of the vehicles, blemishes to paintwork and damage to alloys. The Highways Agency in this country has now been accused of side-lining this evidence.



It seems that motorists may have to worry about not only getting a cracked windscreen as they pass by a gritter, but also about the potential long term impact of corrosive chemicals which the gritters are now using on their cars .