How to Escape a Sinking Car
It happens. Here’s how to make it out alive:
1. Remain calm. Your chances are good.
2. Get out quickly! Unfasten your seat belt immediately. This is the major reason victims don’t survive. Get the window or door opened asap.
3. The window is your friend. Electric windows? Keep a screwdriver or hammer in your glove box, or drive with your window cracked when crossing a body of water. You can even buy a handy device called the Window Punch.
Don’t bother with trying to break your windshield – it’s virtually impossible. Once your window is down/broken, water will flood in – don’t panic! Water inside the car is your friend (this reduces pressure and actually makes it easier to escape). Take a series of three giant breaths to relax your body and expand your chest, then take a final gulp before going for the glass.
4. If you can’t break your windows, climb into the back seat. The front of the car sinks first, so air will remain trapped in the back of the car for a few more precious seconds as you work to open a window.
5. Once the glass is open/broken, keep your head above water for as long as possible!
6. Escape through a window or open the door as soon as you can. In your panic, you may think you can’t open the door when it’s simply locked, so make sure to unlock the door immediately!
7. 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 or follow any bubbles you see as they will be going up, or allow yourself to float for a moment. You will eventually start to float towards the surface. Be aware of your surroundings as you swim and surface. Use them for leveraging if you can.
8. 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.
- via WikiHow
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Timely advice!
Sounds like with electric windows you’re pretty much screwed, unless you’ve totally thought ahead.
Yikes.
Thanks for your comment, Crabby!
i agree with Crabby that is a fantastic piece of advice from you
In Holland where we live, the chances of ending up in the water after driving off the road are very good. We all carry a special pointy hammer in the glove box to break the window. Also, to pass basic swimming (part of school) you have to be able to swim fully clothed.
Tim, thank you for sharing that interesting info!
The Internet is filled with faulty information. Do not assume that everything you find is accurate. This article has some good points, but it also has some inaccurate and possibly deadly information. Experts agree that POGO is the best method (Pop seatbelt, Open or break window, Get Out), but they also agree that you should NOT try to open a door (this will flood the car more quickly and trap anyone still inside). Once out a window, you will have time to climb atop the car and determine next steps (call for help, swim or wade out). If you’d like to see a video produced by the Indiana State Police Dive Team using a real car in a real lake, with real people, go to http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=9532933. My web site has more information on this deadly situation which kills 300 people each year. I know how these victims’ families feel. My teenage grandson drowned, trapped in his vehicle, as it sank into a lake. Help us save lives by sharing accurate information: http://sites.google.com/site/getoutaliveorg/.
Grandmother of a victim