Road salt helps but also hurts our vehicles
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho Falls Public Works uses salt to help remove any excess ice and snow off the roads, but it can also come at the expense of our own vehicles.
The department puts down salt on the roadways whenever the plows are not able to fully remove the snow and ice. That has been a big struggle this year with the ice accumulation on many roadways being more than normal. The department even said sometimes salt hasn't helped out the situation. Occasionally, if the ice remaining is too thick, the salt will only cut into the top layer of the ice. This leaves fresh ice out to be more slick.
Salt is needed in most cases though to make roads safer to travel on, yet it can leave a dent on your vehicle. Rust is the common side effect from salt that will end up stuck underneath your car. It can be really bad and can spread over a short amount of time.
There are two suggestions for trying to fix this problem. There are chemicals to use from auto repair that can slow down the process of the rust. The better solution would be to wash your vehicle frequently to remove all the salt completely.
