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Flying ice isn't just dangerous on the highway: It's often illegal

Along with other winter woes, the nor'easter that slammed the East Coast last week brought a hidden danger on the highway: flying ice.
/ Source: TODAY

The powerful nor'easter of last week may have passed, but it left a hidden danger behind: flying ice.

"The ice doesn’t have to hit your vehicle; it’s you avoiding that piece of ice," Lieut. Jason Delano of the Fulton Police Department in upstate New York told TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen. "The roads are slippery right now. If I try to move quickly, I can lose control and cause another accident."

Rossen Reports on ice flying off cars
Flying ice on the road can shatter windshields.TODAY

It doesn't take a major snowstorm for the danger to develop: Police say it takes just a few inches of snow to harden into ice on top of your vehicle and fly off. While filming their report, the Rossen Reports team spotted numerous ice-covered cars and trucks on the road in upstate New York. Fortunately, they came equipped with stepladders, shovels and scrapers, and sent a number of motorists safely on their way.

States where you can be fined for leaving snow on the roof of your car.
States where you can be fined for leaving snow on the roof of your car include Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.TODAY

Leaving snow on the roof of your car isn't just dangerous: It can actually get you fined in some states, including Alaska, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. Drivers face fines up to $1500 in some places.

To suggest a topic for an upcoming investigation, visit the Rossen Reports Facebook page.