Flood Water Safety Tips

6/10/2022 (Permalink)

3 Reasons Not To Drive Through Flood Water

The temptation to drive through flood water can be difficult to resist. Perhaps you are eager to get home to deal with your flooded basement, or maybe you just don’t want to take the time to go around. Driving down a flooded street can be dangerous, so consider letting a professional storm damage restoration service clean up your basement, while you review these three reasons not to drive through floodwater:

1. You could damage your vehicle. Most cars only have a few inches of ground clearance and even a large truck or SUV may not have more than a couple of feet. Flood water can damage the engine, electrical system and interior of your vehicle. Additionally, flooded roads may have potholes, debris and other obstacles concealed by standing water.

2. You could lose control of your vehicle. As little as six inches of standing water on a flooded street can cause you to lose traction, skid off the road and cause an accident. 12 inches of water can cause most cars to float. A floating vehicle won’t respond to your attempts to steer or brake, which could lead to an accident, or even cause your vehicle to be washed away. Floodwaters can also stall engines. A car with no working engine can not be driven out of floodwater or maneuvered to avoid potential collisions.

3. You could drown. A vehicle that is stalled or washed away by floodwaters can fill with water and cause drowning or be washed into a river or creek. The people who may attempt to rescue you from your flooded vehicle are also at risk of drowning. In almost all cases, the risks of driving down a flooded street outweigh any time or inconvenience you might save by not taking a detour.

If there is a potential for flood conditions in the forecast these travel tips may help you successfully navigate areas at high risk for flooding.