Chances are you're familiar with the sight of salt on the roads during the winter. Whenever icy streets are a problem, salt is used to create some level of traction, and it's not uncommon to see giant trucks sprinkling the substance in cities across the U.S. However, the cold and snowy weather in recent weeks may have forced cities to use more than they predicted, causing a salt shortage throughout the country. 

"After two mild winters, the severe weather has caught a lot of people off guard," Lori Roman, president of the trade group the Salt Institute, told The Associated Press. 

A few areas are getting inventive to save money and capitalize on resources. In some areas, salt is only being spread on the most heavily trafficked areas, while others are mixing salt with sand to extend its life. While there is a limited amount of road salt available, the prices have jumped, and many areas don't have the budget to pay for the extra salt as well as the manpower and equipment needed to distribute it each time there is a storm. 

Government officials and drivers have reasons to be wary of future weather. The coming weeks may give way to slightly warmer temperatures during the day, but that might only ensure that freezing rain or melting snow is turned back into ice as night falls. That could make functioning 4×4 vehicles, or at the very least rugged SUVs, more valuable to drivers. 

Need a car that can handle driving in any kind of weather? You may want to check out the selection at New Jersey State Auto Auction. The lot has hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans, allowing you to shop around until you find just the right style for your budget.