Public safety officials have regularly put out warnings urging people to clean snow and ice off their vehicles, but after a close call, a Massachusetts fire chief is giving a first-hand account of the danger.
There is extensive damage to Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh's SUV after a sheet of ice came flying off a car in front of him as he drove to work Friday morning.
"The ice went up," he said. "It was like a sheet of plywood, almost."
Sencabaugh, who was driving alone, says he's grateful he saw it coming and could swerve so the ice hit the passenger side of his car.
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"I saw it kind of flipping around," he said. "I was hoping it would miss me. I realized it was coming right for the driver's side of my car. I steered quickly to the left a little bit."
The windshield was shattered, there's a dent in the roof, and there's glass all over the place, but the chief wasn't injured.
"It hit the car with a tremendous amount of force," he said.
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The chief says this is a good reminder for drivers to clean off the snow and ice from cars. Flying sheets of ice can be incredibly dangerous, and too many drivers haven't gotten the message.
"Clean your windshields off, your hoods, and the roofs, it can really save some people a lot of aggravation, injury, or possibly even death," said Sencabaugh.
The chief was able to follow the driver, get the license plate and send the information to state police. The driver was ticketed.
Drivers who cause these sorts of incidents can face fines or even criminal charges.
