Should You Drive Fast or Slow Through Water on the Road?
2 Answers
Driving fast through water on the road is generally better. However, when facing waterlogged sections, you should adjust your speed flexibly based on the water depth. Reasons for driving fast through water: Before driving through water, you can first check the water depth and choose a shallow, slow-moving area to drive through quickly in one go. Driving too fast may cause stalling: First, after entering a waterlogged section, the car will churn up water and mud in the puddle, creating wave-like movements. If the speed is too high, water can easily splash onto pedestrians or vehicles in adjacent lanes, and in severe cases, it may obstruct others' vision and compromise driving safety. Second, if the water is too deep, splashed water may enter the engine's air intake, causing the car to stall. Driving too slowly may cause exhaust pipe backflow: Although the exhaust pipe has some thrust and can block water from entering when submerged, if the speed is too slow and the water is too deep, the exhaust pipe's thrust may not be sufficient to prevent water from flowing back into it. Therefore, while driving at a low speed through waterlogged sections, the speed should not be excessively slow.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I always slow down when encountering flooded roads. Once, in a hurry, I accelerated through standing water, only to have water splash directly into the exhaust pipe, causing the engine to stall immediately—costing me over 3,000 yuan in repairs. I've learned my lesson now: shifting to first gear and maintaining a steady speed is the safest approach. Driving too fast not only risks water ingestion into the engine but also causes tires to hydroplane and lose control, especially on rain-slicked asphalt roads. More importantly, splashing water two to three meters high can drench pedestrians, like the elderly man on an e-bike I once saw nearly knocked over by a wave. So, there's no need to rush—slowing down 100 meters in advance is the wisest choice. Arriving home safely is what truly matters.
