WASHINGTON — It is a nightmare scenario: you are driving when somehow your car ends up submerged in deep waters. What do you do?
The American Automobile Association (AAA) has several tips on how you can prepare for a watery crash and what you should do in the event it happens to you.
How To Prepare:
AAA has several tips for things to learn, objects to keep in your car and plans to make in case of a water emergency while driving.
1. Memorize the type of glass your car's windows are made of, whether it is tempered or laminated. This is important because standard escape tools will not break laminated glass. In a 2019 study, AAA tested six escape tools and found only four were able to shatter the tempered glass and none were able to break the laminated glass, which stayed intact even after being cracked.
2. Always keep an escape tool in the car that the driver is comfortable with using and has tested ahead of time. AAA says drivers can also mount the tool to the dash or steering column to keep it in place during a collision.
3. Make a plan or exit strategy ahead of time and alert everyone in the car of the plan. It also helps to have a backup plan in case the escape tool cannot be used or doesn't work.
What To Do:
According to AAA, trapped drivers should remember that there is a S-U-R-E way out.
S - Stay Calm. While time is ticking, panicking won't help.
U - Unbuckle or cut seat belts.
R - Roll down or break a window. Once the window is broken, the water will rush into the car at a faster rate. If the car becomes submerged, AAA further adds:
- If a window will not open or cannot be broken because it is laminated, everyone should move to the back of the vehicle or wherever an air pocket is located. Stay with it until all of the air has left the vehicle. Once this happens, the pressure should equalize, allowing occupants to open a door and escape.
- A hammer-style escape tool (as opposed to a spring-loaded-style) could be much harder to swing underwater.
E - Exit the vehicle quickly and move everyone to safety.
Finally, call 9-1-1 once you escape the vehicle. While this is typically the first step, AAA says it is best to try to escape first.
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