Baltimore bridge collapse: What to do in case your car is submerged in water

It’s 1 of nan scariest scenarios imaginable erstwhile you're connected nan road: You abruptly find your car is submerged successful water.

What should you do, different than not panic?

Fox News Digital said pinch Tina Paff, a certified driver rehabilitation master for Bick’s Driving School of Southwest Ohio, astir how to enactment safe successful nan arena of a submersion.

THESE MEDICATIONS COULD MAKE DRIVING DANGEROUS, THE FDA WARNS

"Water submersion occurs much often than astir group think," Paff said connected Wednesday.

A 2016 study from nan University of Manitoba noted that each year, astir 400 group dice successful submerged vehicles successful North America — accounting for up to 10% of each drownings. 

Car h2o submersions hap overmuch much often than group think, said a certified driver rehabilitation specialist. (iStock)

Flooding is nan superior logic for these occurrences, according to Paff. 

"Water submersion occurs much often than astir group think."

"Sometimes it involves losing power of a conveyance during a storm adjacent to a assemblage of water, for illustration a river, and a car will accidentally thrust into that," she told Fox News Digital. 

Then location are nan rarer catastrophic events — specified arsenic nan Francis Scott Key Bridge illness successful Maryland connected Tuesday.

‘HEROIC’ GEORGIA COLLEGE STUDENTS ON WEEKEND ROAD TRIP RESCUE FAMILY FROM SINKING CAR

While a h2o submersion incident is terrifying and dangerous, Paff said that pinch a "calm demeanor, you tin survive." She shared tips for really to do that, should it happen. 

What to do if your car is headed for a plunge

If you cognize you're heading for a plunge, nan first measurement is to brace yourself pinch some hands connected nan instrumentality and beryllium fresh for nan impact, Paff advised.

The first point to do arsenic soon arsenic your car hits nan h2o is to merchandise your seatbelt arsenic quickly arsenic possible, she said.

A certified driver rehabilitation master recommended holding your steering instrumentality tight if your car is heading for water.  (iStock)

The 2nd astir important point is to get nan model open. 

"You will person a play of clip earlier the water starts to capable nan car," Paff said. 

"So nan 2 astir important factors are seatbelt removal and opening nan beforehand model truthful that you tin escape."

If personification is successful your backseat and your headrest is removable, it’s champion to region that truthful nan personification tin aquatics retired nan beforehand window, nan master said.

11 WINTER CAR ESSENTIALS YOU CAN FIND ON AMAZON THAT MAY SAVE YOUR LIFE

"If you're successful a business wherever nan car becomes submerged quickly and there's nary clip to unfastened nan window, nan adjacent champion point is to break nan window," she said.

The problem is that astir group don’t person a instrumentality successful their car to break nan model — which is why Paff recommends ever keeping an emergency hammer adjacent astatine hand.

"The different action is that if nan headrest is removable, you could perchance usage that to break nan window," she suggested. 

Breaking nan driver's broadside model pinch a removable headrest tin besides beryllium a measurement to get retired of nan car, suggested 1 expert. (iStock)

If you can’t get retired nan window, nan adjacent attack — aft unbuckling your seatbelt — would beryllium to effort and push nan doorway unfastened pinch your feet, utilizing your heels.

"There will beryllium a batch of pressure, truthful it will return maximum force," Paff said.

WHY SOME SENIORS SHOULD SIGN ‘DRIVING CONTRACTS’ AND AGREE TO HANG UP THEIR CAR KEYS

"Overall, staying focused, trying not to panic and taking contiguous action are your 3 astir important steps."

First responders mostly echo Paff’s advice, urging group to retrieve nan acronym POGO: Pop nan seatbelt, Open nan window, and Get Out.

Remember nan acronym POGO: Pop nan seatbelt, Open nan window, and Get Out.

For astir cars, it will return betwixt 30 and 60 seconds earlier complete submersion.

Tips for prevention

To forestall vulnerable submersions, Paff urged caution erstwhile driving done shallow water.

"You decidedly want to enactment successful power of nan steering instrumentality by keeping some hands connected nan instrumentality and driving slow and steady," she advised. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Try not to brake aliases velocity up, but support your velocity astatine a minimal, slow speed," she went on. 

"Try not to oversteer and swerve nan wheel."

Once you’re done nan water, trial your brakes astatine a debased velocity to make judge they are moving properly, Paff advised.

A certified driver rehabilitation master recommended not trying to deed nan breaks aliases velocity up erstwhile hitting nan water.  (iStock)

While nan National Weather Service's "Turn Around Don't Drown" run advises drivers to debar going done opinionated h2o astatine each times, it's imaginable to find h2o rushing toward a conveyance and uncovering obscurity to move toward safety. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

If you find yourself driving successful a flash flood, experts urge pursuing 3 information tips:

1. Keep distant from h2o that tin travel much than halfway up your tires.

2. Try getting to nan roof.

3. If you slip, drawback onto worldly that is not moving successful nan water.

For much Lifestyle articles, sojourn www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.