On the Arrive Alive website we have developed a section titled “Escape from a submerged vehicle”. We have found that several drivers and passengers were killed during times of flooding when their vehicles have veered off the road into rivers and dams.
Even though there are quite a bit to remember we would like to focus for now on the following Golden Safety Rules:
• It may seem obvious – but don’t try to save anything except lives. Computers, phones, purses, jewellery, etc. can be replaced – you can’t!
• What about passengers in the vehicle? – Before you can save anyone else, you have to first save yourself!
• Once you reach the surface, take a few seconds to get your bearings, and if you have the swimming skills, take a deep breath and go back down. Hopefully, you can help someone else escape.
• Unless there is another person in the car that you are trying to save, you should never go back into a sinking or submerged vehicle. There is nothing, short of saving another person that is worth the risk.
• You and your passengers need to focus on one goal only and that is “to exit the car as quickly as possible”.
We would like to urge all road users to view the advice and recommendations to be found at: