How and Why to Avoid Driving on Flooded Roads

8/27/2022 (Permalink)

Driving through floodwaters could damage your vehicle or cause injury

Driving through floodwaters could damage your vehicle or cause injury, so brake and reevaluate when you encounter a flooded street.

Risks of Driving Through Flood Waters

Failure to heed the above warning could cause the following:

• You may stall out, temporarily leaving you stranded. Repeated attempts at restarting could trigger engine failure.
• Your automobile may suffer from a loss of power steering, warped brake rotors or an electrical shortage, all of which means costly repairs.
• If water levels rise higher than your tire’s mid-point, your car could become washed away.
• In the event you lose control, your car could flip over or crash, potentially causing injury to you or another.
  
  

If you absolutely must drive along a flooded street, reduce your risk by going as slowly as possible. Begin no faster than two miles per hour and then slightly accelerate to prevent your engine from flooding.

Avoiding Flood Waters
Never go anywhere without your phone, always making sure it’s properly charged. Doing so will help you steer clear of waterlogged streets if weather suddenly shifts. Use Google Maps to automatically check for natural disaster zones by utilizing its “crisis notification card” feature. Certain smartphone apps devoted to providing helpful travel tips can also aid travelers in avoiding flooded roads. Alternatively, driver assistance services such as OnStar allow you to simply press a button and inform the operator where you live. Then, let the path to your destination in New Hyde Park, NY, conveniently beamed to your GPS be your guide.
If ever you feel anxious to check that your house has not flooded, resist the urge to drive through rising waters. Remain calm and remember that damage to your home can be repaired through hiring a water restoration specialist.
Encountering a flooded street is a perilous situation, so never risk harming your car, yourself or anyone else by attempting to cross. Let common sense guide you in seeking alternative routes.