5 things to do when your car gets stuck in flood

A sudden rise in water levels can pose a life-threatening challenge especially when the car is stuck in traffic. Sadly, it is common under such circumstances that people refuse to abandon their cars despite the threats.

So what steps should you take when you experience a flood-like situation sitting inside your car?

Switch off AC and roll windows down

When water levels rise and reaches the door it is advisable to switch off the air-conditioning, roll down the electrically-operated windows slightly and most importantly disengage the central locking mechanism. Make sure the cell phone is not kept in the door pocket and stays safe from water. Water can affect the electronics that control the windows and doors and render them inactive. Occupants won’t be able to get out of the vehicle in such circumstances as doors would remain locked.

Use headrests for escape

In desperate situations when the doors malfunction and refuse to open it is best advised to break the door glass for exit. Do not try to break the glass using your bare hands or feet (high possibility of injury) but instead use the driver headrest. Most cars have detachable headrests whose metal rods double up as life-saving equipment. Remove the headrest from the seat and insert one of the two rods between the window and the door. Make sure to insert it in the extreme right or left side of the window, because that's where it's weakest. Then pull the headrest towards yourself. This will shatter the window. Do not try to break open the front windscreen as they are generally laminated and difficult to break.

Keep a compact hammer

Where door windows are difficult to break or when the car is not equipped with a removable headrest it is most advisable to keep a small hammer in the glove box. Some cars such as Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon, Hyundai i10, Hyundai Santro, Honda Brio, Maruti Celerio and Renault Kwid, for instance, come with unibody front seats where the headrests are embedded into the seat.

Drive through a flooded street

While it is always advisable to avoid flooded areas in cases where a U-turn is not available or the level of water is manageable it is important to keep in mind a few simple steps. Remember not to drive fast when entering the water. Stay in first gear and keep revs high. This will avoid water seeping into the tailpipe. Front wheels tend to lose control and return less feedback to the steering due to aquaplaning.

Brakes may not be as effective

Prolonged driving under water makes brakes less effective and may need double the effort to use them. It is advisable to let the braking unit dry up before using the vehicle on a freeway. It is also advisable that the distance between your car and car ahead of you is double than normal.