The crushed stone meets provincial standards. (CBC)

P.E.I.'s Department of Transportation is hearing more complaints about damage to cars with the introduction of a different sand being spread on icy roads.

The department uses a combination of red Island sand, crushed stone from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, and some salt. The mixture being spread in some areas of central Queen's and King's County this season has crushed rock from a new source in the region.

The crushed stone is still small enough to fit into provincial specifications, but its shape is different. It's more angular, which provide better traction, but the province has also heard a few more complaints from drivers this year about flying stones.

"We're making slight adjustments to our application rates, but we've got to be careful. I mean, we're talking about public safety. We don't want to do anything too drastic," Darren Chaisson, director of highway maintenance, told CBC News Tuesday.

"From a safety perspective, it's working really well. We're very apprehensive to say that it's not doing what it's supposed to be doing. It is doing what it's supposed to be doing,"

Chaisson said the department will take a closer look at the mixture to try to limit damage, but he said road safety will remain the top priority.