GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — We all dread it but we know that after a snowfall, it's time to scrape off the car.
Michigan State Police say while most people do keep their windows clear, many forget about the roof of their car and let the snow and ice pile up.
"I think people are either forgetting or overlooking to clean all the snow off their vehicle including on the roofs, trunks," Michigan State Police Lt. David Cope said.
It's actually illegal and could get you pulled over, police say.
"Our troopers occasionally get called to traffic crashes involving sheets of ice or debris flying off of vehicles in front of them because people simply did not clean their vehicle adequately," Cope said.
You've probably seen it happen on the highway. Large pieces of ice go flying into the air and hit other cars which damage windshields and cause accidents.
"If you're traveling down an interstate or freeway traveling at 70 miles and hour and some of that snow or ice comes off a vehicle, now you have an object flying through the air at that speed and no good thing comes from striking an object at that speed," Cope said.
While it's inconvenient and certainly a hassle for larger SUV's, MSP says, it's your responsibility.
"No one wants to be standing out in the cold wet snow in sub zero temperatures, brushing off their car, it's' not fun however it's extremely important that we're doing that before we hit the road," Cope said.
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