RELATED: If You Live in These States, Brace Yourself for More Copperhead Snakes. A local police department recently warned residents of the dangers of driving with your windows down while the insects are still above ground. “While we like to have fun on social media from time to time, this is serious,” the Cincinnati police wrote on Facebook on June 7, alongside a photo of a car that had struck a pole. “Cincinnati and our surrounding region has been invaded by Brood X of the Cicada Army. Historically each time they emerge, there have been several car crashes attributed to their presence. This year is no different.” The post included a stern warning: “Police in Cincinnati are warning drivers to roll up their windows during this year’s cicada invasion after a man crashed his car when one of the insects flew into his face while he was driving Monday.” The officials said the accident occurred when the driver went through a large swarm of cicadas, and one flew in through the window and hit him in the face, which shocked him and caused him to crash, totaling his car. RELATED: For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter. “Remember to keep your windows rolled up until our little red-eyed friends are gone,” the post concluded, also adding a hashtag that said, “nothing good happens with cicadas.” The noisy pest will only be around for a few more weeks, after which you can cruise with your windows wide open. Michael Raupp, PhD, entomologist at the University of Maryland, told Baltimore’s NBC affiliate WBAL-TV that by the Fourth of July, the Brood X cicadas will be gone. The Cincinnati area isn’t the only place getting hit with swarms of cicadas. There are 15 U.S. states experiencing a deluge of the crunchy-shelled bug, and residents should follow the Cincinnati police’s advice and drive with their windows rolled up. Read on to find out if you need to change your driving habits. RELATED: If You Live Here, Prepare for More Sharks Than You’ve Ever Seen Before. Shutterstock ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb RELATED: If You Live in These States, Prepare for a Rat Infestation, Experts Warn.
