Days after snowfall ends, snow on vehicles can pose hazard - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Days after the last flakes fell, you'll still find snow-coated cars in lots of places.

"Actually, I made sure I cleaned off the top of mine today so that wouldn't happen," Alyssa Antram told us.

She's talking about the slabs of frozen snow that flies from car and semi trailer roofs.

"You don't want to be behind it," says driver Barry Knapp. "It hits your windshield and you get instant whiteout."

"I've never had damage to my car," says motorist Dave Sanders, "but it always scares the heck out of me."

The snow that builds up on the leading edge of that tractor trailer can impact like a brick if it breaks loose and hits your windshield.

"I've seen huge pieces come loose and it definitely scares you when it happens," says one driver on I-65 on New Year's Day.

In the case of semis, they can be barred from the Indiana Toll Road for dangerous amounts of ice and snow on top, but there's no data available on how often that actually happens. And an industry survey showed 54 percent of truck companies don't remove snow and ice before hitting the road every time.

Snow can accumulate to three and four inches on top of vehicles. In single-digit temps, that can become three or four inches of hard packed, icy snow.

So what do you do when you see that car or truck with snow and ice just in front of you? "I just try to stay away from them," says Dave Sanders, who drives a lot. "I stay back as far as I can."

Or, he says, just change lanes when it's safe to get away from them. "I've seen other people hit by it. It's pretty surprising when you're not used to it."