It's not about the snow, snow is easy. It's about black ice of which we seem to have more in the last few years. Gravel doesn't cut it here - I broke my wrist last year and this year I salted the paved path to the front gate, I don't want to repeat 8 hours waiting in the ER, 2 surgeries and 3 months more or less out of commission.
This happened 2025 Jan 15-17 and this year Jan 12-14 in the area I live in. Rain and fog meets icy ground and then rain turns to snow. When I was in the ER last year the 8 hours wait time were due to 26 other broken bones patients and the ER was busy until 1:30 in the morning. It used to be rare, but that changed over the last couple of years.