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One awareness campaign from the National Weather Service advises drivers to Turn Around Don’t Drown. Wherever you go, getting somewhere on time is not worth your life. Extremely heavy rainstorms can cause flooding, which can destroy your car, put you at risk of an accident, and even put you at risk of drowning.
Driving through a flood is extremely dangerous. You should do your best to avoid being out in such perilous conditions. However, you may find yourself on the road during a heavy rainstorm. Do not assume you can make it through water just because it is not too high on your car. Even lesser amounts of water can flood your engine and stall your car right at a time when you are in extreme danger.
If there are barricades on the road during a flood, they are there for a reason. Never try to pass through the barricades because you could end up in an extremely hazardous area. Always pay attention to signs warning you of flooding and potential dangers ahead of you on the road. If you are familiar with an area and realize that low-lying areas are prone to flooding, you should do your best to avoid them entirely during a heavy rainstorm.
Know that your car can be swept off the road if you are trying to drive through as little as 12 inches of standing water. Whenever possible, you should avoid trying to drive through standing water. Your tires can lose contact with the roadway, and the water may carry your car off.
One of the problems involved in driving through a flood is that you may not know how deep the water is until you are already trying to go through it. Drivers can have great difficulty estimating the water depth before entering a flooded area. They should do their best to gauge how deep the water could be and avoid areas that are too deep altogether.
Your car’s wheels will show you whether the water is too deep. You should not drive through water deeper than the center of your car’s wheels. Otherwise, the water could damage the bottom of your car. In addition, you could lose control of your car because your tires would lose contact with the roadway.
Unfortunately, your car may not always make it through standing water. Your engine may stall, and you may be unable to restart it. If you become stuck in a pool of standing water, you should abandon your car and move to higher ground. The standing water can always get higher, potentially threatening your life. Your car could become swept away with you in it, and there is a risk that you could drown. If the water is too deep, and you cannot get out of your car, you should immediately call 911 to be rescued.
You are still in danger even if you have already made it through the water on the road. The water may have impacted your car’s brakes. You should always test the brakes as soon as you get through the water. Tap them gently to see if they respond while you are driving at a low speed. If your brakes are not working properly, you should pull off the road and seek help.
If you have been injured in a rain-related crash, a Wilmington car accident lawyer at Jacobs & Crumplar, P.A. is ready to help. The first step is to call us today at 302-656-5445 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation. We have offices in New Castle and Millsboro, Delaware, and we serve clients in New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County.