TEMPLE, Texas — Salt is no stranger to companies like Trimmers Lawn Service in Central Texas, especially during the winter weather.
The substance has become a big seller, causing service crews to drive hours just to find enough salt to do their job.
Salt can be crucial in keeping people safe in cold weather by laying the substance down on roads or walkways. Each area that is covered with salt should be covered twice. Along with this, the best time to salt the ground is after it has already rained.
"We've been coming out here the last three days putting salt down so people don't slip and fall when they are going in the store," worker with Trimmers Lawn Service, Dophes Chavis, said. "We just come out here and make it safe for them."
Salting roads lowers the freezing point of water, which prevents ice from forming. Overall, it makes driving safer as salt reduces winter car accidents by 87%, according to a 1992 study from Marquette University.
Looking at Central Texas numbers, workers are seeing multiple accidents first-hand.
"We see a bunch of cars in the ditches on solid roads and stuff," Chavis said.
However, people like Chavis are the ones who help prevent these things from happening and they are not stopping their efforts despite the shortages they are seeing.
"We had to go to eight stores to find salt," Chavis said. "We went to Bellmead and I bought the last 40 bags. If you don't have to come out, don't come out."