Around 400 people die every year because their car becomes completely submerged underwater during a crash, according to Canadian researcher Gordon Giesbrecht. A lot of people die because they end up doing the wrong thing at the moment their car becomes submerged.
You don’t want to be one of these people, so pay close attention to what you have to do. You have to be able to save yourself in situations like these because rescuers will not save you in time. The best time to make your escape is the small amount of time before your vehicle is completely submerged.
Although, if you find yourself fully submerged it’s not too late. Here are some survival points on staying alive in situations like these.
1. Don’t panic! It’s very important for you to remain calm to conserve your energy and stay focused.
2. Unbuckle your seat belt and don’t bother with your belongings. Remove any item from your body that may be weighing you down, such as your jacket or shoes. This will allow you to swim better and more quickly.
3. Roll down the side window to escape. Most of us would go for the door handle by instinct but the immense water pressure from outside the door will actually make it extremely difficult to open the door. So, the easiest way to escape is to roll down the window and get out of that car as fast as you possibly can before it is totally submerged into the water.
4. Wasting your time trying to call 911 won’t do you any good if you’re still trapped inside the vehicle. You would think this is common sense, but it is something people commonly do.
5. Break the window if you couldn’t get out of the car before it got completely submerged. Sometimes the power has been cut or the window is jammed so it’s a good idea to keep emergency tools in your car for situations like these. If you don’t happen to have any tools, take the detachable headrest from your seat and use the metal part of it to jam in the crack of the window and break it. You can also try to kick the top corner of the side window because it’s a weaker point. Do not try to break the windshield, it is built to be strong enough to withstand extreme impact.
6. If you have children in the vehicle with you, help the older one first. The reason for this is because the eldest child can potentially help the younger ones after escaping from the vehicle. But always remember, only after you have unbuckled your own seat belt and rolled down the window. You must save yourself first to be able to save others.
It’s obvious that the ability to swim plays a huge role in this situation and it could make or break your chances to survive. So it’s a good idea to start taking swimming lessons for a safer future!
