If your car goes into water

Posted on by wzlradio1

If your car goes into water—especially deep water—time is critical. Here’s what you should do immediately to increase your chances of survival:

GET OUT FAST

You have 30–60 seconds before the car may be fully submerged.

Step-by-Step:

  1. Stay calm and act quickly. Panic wastes precious time.

  2. Unbuckle your seatbelt immediately. Do the same for passengers, especially children. Get them out first.

  3. Forget your phone or belongings. Every second counts.

  4. Don’t open the door—it’s nearly impossible due to water pressure and will flood the cabin faster.

  5. Roll down or break the window:

    • Roll down the window immediately—electric windows usually still work for up to a minute.

    • If windows won’t open, break the side window (not the windshield—it’s too strong).

    • Use:

      • A window-breaking tool (keep one in the car).

      • A hard object like a headrest metal prong or heel of a shoe.

  6. Escape through the window. Push out and swim up to the surface.

For Children:

  • Unbuckle them in reverse order (oldest first, so they can help themselves).

  • Push them out of the window ahead of you.

If the Car Is Already Submerged:

  • Try to equalize pressure by letting water in gradually until it’s nearly full.

  • Then open the door and escape—this is very difficult but sometimes the only option if windows are jammed.