Any car accident is frightening, but an accident in which your vehicle is thrown into the water, with you trapped inside, is absolutely terrifying. Such accidents are particularly dangerous due to the risk of drowning, but the fact is that most deaths that occur from being trapped in a sinking vehicle are avoidable. Escape usually requires only a cool head, a little know-how and, sometimes, patience.
Steps
- Remain calm. The preceding events will no doubt get your adrenaline pumping, but don't panic. Take deep breaths to calm yourself down.
- Unbuckle your seat belt and make sure you don’t get tangled in it.
- Try to open your window. Usually a vehicle will float for a minute or more before sinking, so you’ll likely have some time above water to get out; use this time wisely. You can try to open the door—make sure to unlock it—but don’t waste much time on this: if the water is up to the door, you probably won’t be able to open it. Instead try to roll down the window as quickly as possible, and escape from the opened window. If this is not possible—electric windows, for example, may malfunction—try to break the window out and escape.
- Wait until the pressure inside the car equalizes with that outside. If you are unable to escape while the car is floating, do not try to open the door—unless the car is already nearly filled with water, it won’t open because of the water pressure on the outside. Open or break your windows so that water flows into the car and the pressure inside and outside of the car can equalize as the water enters the car. This is frightening, but you must be patient and calm.
- Keep your head above water. As the vehicle fills with water, you need to make sure you can still breathe. If the car lands upright you may simply be able to remain in your seat, but if the car lands on its top or side, you will have to maneuver within the car to keep your head in the air pocket.
- Escape through a window or open the door as soon as you can. Water will initially flow into the car very quickly, so you may not be able to escape from an open window. As the car fills with water, however, the flow of water will slow or stop and you can swim out the window. If you can’t open your window all the way, or if you are too large to fit out the window, wait until you can open the door. You can periodically try to open the door, but usually you will be able to open it when the water in the car reaches chest height (if the car lands upright). Remember to make sure your door is unlocked. In your haste you may think you can’t open the door when all you need to do is unlock it.
- Swim to the surface as quickly as possible. Push off the car and swim to the surface. If you don’t know which way to swim, look for light and swim toward it. Be aware of your surroundings as you swim and surface. You may have to deal with a strong current or obstacles such as rocks, concrete bridge supports, or even passing boats. Avoid injuring yourself on these things, and use them to your advantage if you are too injured or exhausted to quickly make it to land once you surface.
- Get medical attention as soon as possible. The adrenaline in your bloodstream after the escape may make you unable to immediately detect any other injuries you may have sustained in the accident.
Tips
- Assist children out of the vehicle before you exit. Children will panic and may need assistance. Because they are smaller, it should be easier to get them out of the car.
- Take control of the situation. If you’re traveling with other people, tell them what to do (i.e. unbuckle seatbelts, remain calm, etc.) in order to escape.
- Be prepared. A variety of emergency products are available that can help you break your car window. Some of these are combined with products you already carry in your car, such as flashlights and key rings. Small spring-loaded hammers or punches (“power punches”) may provide the easiest and most portable solution, but you could even carry your own hammer. Just make sure your tool is easily accessible at all times.
- If you don’t have a special tool to break the windows, use anything you can. Hammers, screwdrivers, and steering wheel locks are very good. You can also elbow the window, or try to kick it out, but you will have to give it all you’ve got.
- Side and rear windows are the best options for escape. Front windows (windshields) are made with safety glass, which will stick together when broken and which may thus be difficult to remove.
- Fully recline your seat to make escape and maneuvering inside the vehicle easier.
- While you almost certainly won’t be able to open a door that’s at all submerged in the water, it’s valuable to note that the end of the car that contains the engine will usually sink fastest, often leaving the car at an angle so that part of it (usually the back) is above water for a while. You may thus be able to open some doors, but not others, while the car is still floating.
- If you can easily do so, remove heavy shoes or bulky clothes while you are in the vehicle. Bulky clothing can get snagged on something, trapping you when would otherwise be able to escape, and heavy clothes or boots may fill with water and make it difficult to swim to the surface, especially if you’re not a strong swimmer.
Warnings
- Be careful when breaking the windows, as glass can fly around and you may cut yourself, especially if you need to use your elbow or feet.
- Don't take anything heavy or unnecessary with you, and remember that everything is unnecessary in this situation. If your wallet and cell phone are already in your pockets, you can leave them in there, but don’t try to collect other belongings.
- Fluids from the engine that are lighter than water may seep into the car, and the fumes from these can pollute your air pocket. Get out of the vehicle as soon as you can.
- Don’t wait for help. Rescuers will most likely not be able to reach you in time, and even if they do, there’s usually not much they can do for you. You’re on your own.
Tags : India, HowTo, sinking car, escape
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