While Limpopo is not known for extreme flooding with rivers coming down taken down everything in its path, news of motorists having drowned under such circumstances are not uncommon and seemingly the result of a lack of skill and knowledge. In at least two recent incidents the Police Search and Rescue Unit were summoned to two separate incidents where they had to remove bodies from submerged vehicles.
With the necessary know-how survival in such a situation is definitely possible but motorists need to be equipped with information that will enable them to survive.
What to expect from a sinking vehicle?
The speed at which a car sinks depends on several factors suc as distance of fall, speed, angle of entry and physical characteristics of the vehicle. Most entries are smooth with water cushioning the blow. Most people survive the initial impact with minimal or no injury at all.
There should be enough time to take action to save your life and your passengers. Most vehicles will float for a minute or two before beginning to sink. It is possible that the vehicle might flip onto its roof in deeper water.
Survival tips
Stay calm
Staying calm and helping any passengers to stay calm is the single most important thing you can do to survive a car sinking in water.
Seatbelt
The first instinct may be to unbuckle your seat belt and try to escape, but experts warn that passengers should first check their surroundings. You want to make sure the impact is over before you take off your seat belt. This might include the possibility of other cars or foreign objects heading toward the vehicle.
If a belt won’t release, find something with which to cut it. If your head restraints are removable, pull them out when you release your seatbelt to enable easy passage for rear passengers.
Opening windows and doors
In some instances, the vehicle will sink quickly and you won’t have time to roll down the windows. Unbuckle your seat belt and check on passengers. If you are sinking rapidly, you need to wait for the water pressure inside the vehicle to become equal to the pressure outside. it might be best to let the vehicle sink further and. Let the vehicle fill up with more water before attempting to open a window or door. Water rushing against a vehicle weighs thousands of pounds. Trying to open a door or window with that kind of pressure wastes valuable time and energy. And if you were successful, the onrush of water most likely would push you away, even pin you under the dash.
When you are ready to open a door always choose one on the side away from the water flow. It’s much easier to open a door on the down river side of flowing water.
Once you have escaped via the door or an open window the next best thing might be the roof of the vehicle and to consider from there the safest way of moving to safety.
Story: RC Myburgh
>>rc.observer@gmail.com
