What To Do When In A Dangerous Water Related Car Accident.
Florida is a state filled with lakes, waterways and beaches, and this can pose an additional risk to drivers – drowning. Because of this, it is essential for drivers to be aware of water dangers when traveling along the state’s roads. In addition, all drivers should arm themselves with the knowledge of how to escape a vehicle that is submerged in water.
The Orlando Sentinel did a report on car drowning accidents, attributing them to a combination of factors, including a lack of proper security measures, such as guardrails, state-mandated retention ponds near roadways, and a large number of roadways near water, e.g. roadside canals. The paper reported that with 49 deaths occurring in water-related car accident deaths between 2008 and 2012, Florida held the No. 1 spot in the nation.
Understanding that car drowning accidents are a real issue in the state is only the beginning to stopping these fatalities. Drivers also must get educated on how to escape a car if they should ever find themselves submerged in water.
According to Popular Mechanics, the first thing to remember in a water-related car accident is to stay calm. Drivers must keep their wits about them and focus on getting out of the vehicle. The best escape route is through a window. A driver should quickly roll the window down if the electronic components of the vehicle are still working. However, this won’t often be the case, so the next step is breaking the window. Water will likely begin to rush in, so time is of the essence. If a driver is unable to open or break the window, the last opportunity to get out would be when the vehicle is completely under the water and pressure is stable enough to open the door.
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