Plow trucks are on the roads, working to resolve the effects of our most recent winter storm but after some of the job is done, people are walking outside to find their mailboxes completely destroyed.

"Sometimes our plows will strike them, you know, it just, it's a common thing across the state," said Lauren Borell, ODOT District 11 public information officer.

Borell tells 21 News the damage doesn't just happen when the snow plows strike your mail boxes, but also when the snow is piled up all around your mailboxes, causing them to lean and need repairs.

The good news is, in many cases, you won't have to pay for the damages yourself.

"After they report it, it all goes to the public works department and they will go out look at it," said Darlene St. George, Howland Township Administrator. "Sometimes it just needs put back up and they can repair it quickly. Other times, it has to be replaced," she said.

"If you do live on a U.S. or state route and you do have damage to your mailbox from one of our plows coming through, you can follow the process on our website and that will get sent to the proper county and we will then replace your mailbox," said Borell.

Contact your specific city or township to be sure they'll take care of it. It's possible you can prevent this from happening in the future, with a mailbox protector.

If you need to report damage to your mailbox, some of you can click here to find help on ODOT's website.