Troy Green: Hi! I am Troy Green from AAA. After a snow storm, it's important that you properly remove all of the snow and ice from your vehicle so that you and other drivers are safe and you avoid injuring yourself or damaging your vehicle.

First, let's talk about some common mistakes people make and things you'll want to avoid. Do not pour hot water over the vehicle's windshield or windows. The frozen glass can easily shatter due to the sudden and extreme temperature change. Do not pick up the ice from the windshield by using an ice pick, a screw driver or hammer to remove the ice. Doing so can easily shatter or crack or scratch the glass. Do not remove the ice from the windshield by using a metal ice scrapper, a key, a utility knife or crowbar. The metal in these objects can scratch the glass or cut grooves into the glass.

Do not use a mixture of vinegar and water to pour on the glass, so that it will be freeze before the snow does, therefore preventing icing on the windshield. Unfortunately, vinegar can eat pits into the windshield. And lastly do not use a shovel to remove snow from your vehicle. You could potentially hit your vehicle and that could possibly damage the body or scratch the paint job.

Now let's talk about something you will want to do when removing snow and ice from your vehicle. It will help if you start the vehicle and use a defroster settings to help warm up the windows. It will take above five minutes to warm up your car. But before doing this, you will want to remove all of the snow and ice from your vehicles tailpipe. This could prevent a potentially hazardous build up of carbon monoxide inside of the vehicle.

If your car door is frozen shut with ice, pour cold water over it to gradually melt away the ice, and use a plastic ice scrapper to carefully chip or crack in the ice around the door seal and the lock. Do not attempt to unseal the door by using a cigarette lighter, an ice pick, a screwdriver, a portable heater or a torch.

Remove loose snow from the horizontal surfaces of the vehicle including the roof. Also, make sure the vehicle's headlights, taillights, and turn signals are unobstructed. When the ice on the windows start to melt, use a plastic ice scrapper or soft plastic bristle brush or broom to clean the ice and snow, and be sure to clean the side-view mirrors as well. Also remove snow from your windshield wiper blades and make sure the windshield fluid nozzles are unobstructed. There are deicing products on the market that may shorten a time it takes to melt away the ice and snow on your vehicle. However, they do have mixed results, and they could potentially damage your vehicle's finish.

Before driving, make sure your car is completely free of snow and ice. Leaving snow or ice on your hood, roof or trunk of your vehicle can be very dangerous. It can become dislodge while you're driving and suddenly obstruct your view or another driver's view of the road. I hope these tips are helpful. Drive safely and good luck.