• If you find yourself submerged in water, you will need to rescue yourself. This is a matter of life or death.
• Minivans and larger vehicles submerge slower than small car.
Image: COURTESY
With the death of a mother and her daughter in the Indian Ocean, it is worthwhile to ask ourselves if indeed we have an idea of what to do when you are in a sinking vehicle.
Nobody wants to find themselves in a submerged vehicle. Unfortunately, many drivers will find themselves in this terrifying position.
And yes, It can happen to anyone either on a ferry or just speeding vehicle or by an accident.
There are many ways your vehicle can plunge into a mass of water. Even heavy rains and flooding can submerge a vehicle in a matter of minutes.
If you find yourself submerged in water, you will need to rescue yourself. This is a matter of life or death.
Brace for impact
The water can cause a huge impact. Brace for it by firmly gripping the steering wheel.
Remain calm
Remain calm but move quickly. When your car enters a body of water, you have around 30 seconds to two minutes before the car sinks and becomes completely submerged.
This gives you plenty of time to react and get yourself out, but you will still need to act fast.
Minivans and larger vehicles submerge slower than a small car, but it’s safe to assume that you have around 60 seconds to get yourself out.
Stay focused
As soon as you notice you’re entering the sea or the ocean, stay focused and start repeating the steps you will need to take to escape. Don’t panic!
Don’t open the door
Although it may be possible to open the door, as soon as you do, water will rush in and cause the car to immediately sink.
It can also be extremely difficult to open the door. Opening the door can cut your escape time from 1-2 minutes to just a couple of seconds.
Unbuckle your seat belt
The first thing you should do is unbuckle your seat belt. If the buckle is stuck, you will need to cut it using a seat belt cutter.
Unbuckle passengers’ seat belts
If you have children or other passengers in the car, the second thing you should do is unbuckle their seat belts. Make sure you get your passengers out of their seat belts before doing anything else.
If you have passengers in the back seat, instruct them to exit through their window or pull them into the front of the car so they can exit through your window.
Open the window
Break the window if it was not rolled down. After everyone in the vehicle is unbuckled, try rolling down the window.
Most car windows will still work after making impact with water. If you cannot get the window to roll down, however, you will need to break the window.
If the window wont open try the door. In this case, if water is entering the vehicle, wait until pressure is equalized before attempting to open it.
This usually means waiting until the water level is the same on both the inside and outside of the car.
Climb out
Once the window has been rolled down or broken, push the children out of the window, oldest ones first. Then, climb out of the window yourself.
If you don’t know which direction is up, follow the bubbles, which will always rise to the surface.
Swim for dry land
Once you have successfully escaped from your sinking vehicle, determine whether or not you can swim to dry land.
If you don't know how to swim, try and remain afloat as you call for help. When swimming to safety, swim in the direction of the current.