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With all the rain we've had there are certain things we should be doing when
we have to go thru the flooded area.
If you can't avoid a "flooded" area and have to drive through it
Sometimes the flood water comes to you rather than the other way around or you have no alternative route available and you have to drive through it. When that happens, here are some precautions to take.
- When approaching a depth of standing water on a road, always slow down before entering it. Even a very shallow depth of water can cause aquaplaning if entered at speed. The tires effectively lose contact with the road, resulting in a loss of steering control.
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- If there are other vehicles around, watch what happens to them as they drive through the water.
- Doing so will help you judge its depth and how it affects the vehicle as well as warn of any hidden
- hazards beneath the surface.
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- Proceed into the water very slowly and maintain a steady pace so as not to lose momentum.
- If you go too quickly you risk losing steering control. If you go too slowly, you run the risk of
- getting stuck.
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- Do not drive into water where downed power lines have fallen as electric current can be
- conducted by water.
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- Be particularly cautious entering a flooded area at night as it is much more difficult to identify
- potential hazards.
Be considerate of others. Driving through water at speeds above a slow crawl can create a
splash that inhibits the visibility of other drivers and soaks pedestrians or people trying to direct traffic.