Ice is no joke. And falling down on an icy driveway or stairs is no laughing matter when the risk of debilitating injuries is very real.

According to the CDC, about a million Americans are injured each year as a result of falling on ice and snow with about 17,000 of these falls resulting in death.

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That's why many in Maine invest in big bags of salt and sand, to make the areas around their homes safe in the wintertime. And it's not just you and your family to consider, the safety of anyone who visits, or comes by with a delivery is at stake, too.

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R.H. Foster took to social media Monday to remind people of the importance of tending to your driveway, doorway, parking lots, and entryways.

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And they offered some tips and tricks for using salt and sand that could make anyone's  life a little easier when trying to stop the slip around their homes and building when icy conditions occur.

These are some of the pieces of advice they mentioned on their Facebook Page:

"• Mix ice melt with sand. It helps reduce the amount of ice melt you use and provides extra traction.

• Spread the mix evenly in layers. Spread a thin layer before the bad weather hits and a second thin layer afterward.

• Consider rock salt. Regular rock salt works at a temperature above 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Get ice melt. Use ice melt with calcium chloride when it's below 5 degrees Fahrenheit. It can melt ice in temperatures as low as -25 degrees Fahrenheit."
Olga Evtushkova
Olga Evtushkova
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One of the other things they mentioned to do was to scoop away the salt after all the ice melts.
So remember to hit those front walkways, steps, the side of the house, and any landing that might be used for travel on and off of your property, with a generous dose of something to help create traction to keep folks upright.
Stay safe out there.

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