Driver argues salt needed to fight slippery streets

To the editor: I recently had the privilege to drive on the streets in Saskatoon. Before leaving to Saskatoon, I was concerned about the possibility of icy streets and uncontrolled sliding into intersections. What a relief to find the main arteries of Saskatoon are clear of snow and ice. I am embarrassed to say what our streets are like in Swift Current.

The way I see it, Swift Cur- rent’s priorities are wrong. If adding more salt to our sand mixture saves one accident, it is worth it.

As a taxi driver, one who is responsible to get people to their destination safely, the odds of getting in an accident are at least 10 times as great when there is ice on the streets.

In just our taxi company alone, four accidents have happened which were caused by these icy streets.

Are we saving the environment by banging up our cars and many other obstacles, or paying for it physically at a registered massage therapist? I see many people who have had accidents which caused their back and neck injuries.

Let’s live in a place where life makes sense. Where life is a priority, as well as property, over the small cost of adding more salt to our streets. We can all wash our vehicles more often, and the little bit of salt that goes into the soil won’t even be noticed since that is where it came from originally.

In Swift Current, we almost always get Chinooks. We can wash our vehicles when it warms up, and a little more often to prevent rust issues.

Thank you for the city’s prompt attention to this issue.