video ice smashing windshield toronto

Shocking video surfaces of ice smashing car windshield on Highway 403

If you're one of those people who clears off just enough of your windshield to see when you leave the house each morning, a video of a piece of ice shattering a GTA driver's entire windshield is sure to change your habit.

Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the OPP shared the video this morning along with a caption stating, "This is why we ask you to clean the snow and ice off your vehicle."

The dash cam video shows someone driving on the highway in winter conditions before a piece of ice flies off another car and shatters their windshield within a matter of seconds. 

Schmidt told CBC police are looking into the incident but they believe it occurred on Highway 403 in Mississauga earlier this week. 

"That's how quick it happens," he told CBC. "It's shocking to see it."

He also said drivers are legally required to clear their windshield but not the rest of their car, though it's much safer to clear off a car in its entirety. 

The original copy of the video was shared on Reddit yesterday, and it's already been 95 per cent upvoted and garnered about 1,500 comments. 

Consider cleaning the ice off your car before you hit the road from r/gifs

"The number of people with like inches of snow on their roofs/hoods this week was insane! Evidently the memo hasn't reached everyone to just, ya know, not be a dumbass," one Reddit user wrote in response to the clip. 

"Got my windshield smashed this way while driving into Toronto on the QEW. Everyone was driving way too fast and I'm honestly shocked I didn't get into a massive accident," another wrote. 

Schmidt told CBC he hopes the video serves as a wake up call to those who don't properly clean the snow and ice off their car. 

"We ask that you take that extra minute to brush the snow off of the hood, the trunk and the roof," he said, "and make sure your vehicle is not going to be a hazard to other motorists behind you."

Lead photo by

The Extimate


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