People get into minor car accidents often, especially those who drive every day. However, you never think about getting into an accident that results in your car falling into a water body. If you find yourself in a crash and your vehicle falls into the river or another water body, your natural reaction would be to panic. However, there is a way to save yourself.
It is important to know these tips, along with many others, for the sake of your and your loved ones’ lives. That being said if another party has a life-threatening accident with you, a car accident attorney can help protect your rights. Meanwhile, read this blog to learn the tips to escape a sinking car.
Five tips for escaping a sinking car.
Stay calm and act quickly.
Panic can be your worst enemy during tragic times. Therefore, make sure you stay calm focused, and act in a quick manner. According to a study conducted by NHTSA, you only have 60 seconds to escape a sinking car.
Do not waste your time in panic. It will only make things worse. Take deep breaths and act swiftly. Think about what you have got at hand, that is, getting out of the car safely on the land.
Unbuckle your seatbelt.
You do not want to be stuck in your car while your car is drowning deep in the water. You need to free yourself. Therefore, make sure you unbuckle your seatbelt and check if other passengers have also done the same and all of you are ready to get out of the vehicle.
Modern push-button car seat buckets can be opened easily. However, if your car has a chest clip, it may be difficult to unlatch while the water is rushing in fast.
Roll down all the windows.
As soon as you see water coming inside your vehicle, roll down your windows. Doors may be difficult to open once the vehicle is submerged. These windows will only be your exit option.
Make sure to do this step on time, as once water starts to get inside the car, the pressure makes it difficult to roll the windows down, even in the case of automatic windows. Also, if you have manual windows, it gets tougher to roll the windows down as the car gets deeper in the water.
Exit your vehicle.
Once you manage to roll your windows down or open the door, do not waste any time exiting the vehicle and swimming safely. If there are children in the car, push them through the window first. Leave your belongings inside the car as they can be replaced.
If the water has reached the window level, it would be more difficult to escape your vehicle. Therefore, make sure you act quickly. Once you exit your vehicle, swim safely to a shore and call for medical help.
If you have been in a car accident like this one, you must be traumatized. Hire an attorney to get justice today!