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As temperatures continue to plummet and winter makes its mark across Canada, this video reminds motorists the importance of cleaning snow and ice off your vehicle.

Scary video shows why it's vital to brush ice off your car


Leeanna McLean
Digital Reporter

Tuesday, February 9, 2016, 9:57 AM - As snowstorms and plunging temperatures make their mark across Canada, this video reminds motorists the importance of cleaning snow and ice off your vehicle.

While driving along Interstate 495 in Haverhill, Massachusetts in late December, Jeff Cote's dashcam managed to capture ice flying off an SUV and smashing into his windshield.

This situation is all-too-familiar for OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, who says failing to clean your vehicle of snow and ice comes with some serious safety risks.

"Take your time, scrape it all off, brush it all off until your vehicle is clear and so you know nothing is going to fly off as soon as you hit the highway," Sgt. Schmidt told The Weather Network.

The video (below) was uploaded to YouTube on Dec. 30 and has since gone viral, gaining more than three million views.

"An SUV pulls out a few hundred feet in front of me. As I approach it, a large sheet of ice flew off the roof, toppled through the air for a while and slammed right down on the windshield of my car," Cote told WCVB Boston. "I stayed pretty calm through it all."

Sgt. Schmidt applauds the driver for remaining calm during such a dramatic event and encourages other motorists to do the same if caught in a similar situation.

"If something like that does happen, slow down, take your foot off the gas but don't immediately slam on the break or swerve out of the way, because you may very well go into another vehicle beside you or cause a collision behind you as well."

Fortunately, no one was injured. The impact also bent the vehicle's wiper arm and side mirror.

"There was glass all over me. All over the interior of the car," Cote said. 

The mechanical engineer from New Hampshire told WCVB Boston he had the dashcam installed for protection in case of a crash caused by someone else.

"I'm upset that it happened, but I'm grateful it didn't do more damage or cause a bigger accident," he said. "Clear off your cars. It's easy and could save someone's life."

Source: YouTube | WCVB Boston

Watch below: Top things to remember for winter driving

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