Road gritters spreading salt will no doubt a familiar sight during the winter months, and for good reason! Gritting the roads with salt is essential to keeping the them safe for pedestrians and vehicles when snow and ice comes our way. When salt comes into contact with ice, it lowers the freezing temperature to approximately -6.5°C to -9°C. With less ice on the ground, it is much easier for vehicles as well as foot traffic to maintain traction.

The salt that is spread on the ground is not safe to eat, this is because it has been treated with an anti-caking agent that stops it from clumping together. Finely crushed rock salt makes it much easier to spread evenly and prevents blockages when passed through a salt spreader. If you are new to gritting, there are 2 different kinds of gritting salt – white and brown.