What to Do When Encountering Floods While Driving?
1 Answers
When suddenly encountering floods while driving, first and foremost, if the vehicle has entered a flooded area, drive with extreme caution, observe road conditions, and avoid areas with large water ripples as there may likely be traps or obstacles underwater. If the engine stalls in the flood and fails to start after three consecutive attempts, immediately choose to abandon the vehicle. More details are as follows: 1. Assess the depth and flow speed of the water in advance: Before attempting to drive through floodwaters, assess the depth and flow speed of the water in advance. You can use a stick or similar tool to measure. If the water level exceeds the depth of the headlights, do not force your way through; instead, pull the handbrake and stand on the roof to await rescue. Key points for driving through water: After deciding to proceed through the water, follow the principle of "driving fast on sand and slow through water." The so-called "slow through water" ensures that the vehicle moves through the water as gently as possible to minimize waves and splashes. This approach helps prevent water from being forced into the air intake by waves, which could damage the vehicle, and also avoids splashing pedestrians, which could lead to trouble. 2. Keep speed below 20 km/h: Generally, when driving through floodwaters, it's best not to exceed 20 km/h. Keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel to maintain control and avoid danger. Pay attention to controlling speed; it's recommended to stay below 20 km/h. Most automatic transmission vehicles are accustomed to driving in D gear, but in this gear, the vehicle will automatically shift up or down based on speed and RPM. If the vehicle shifts up while driving through water, the RPM will inevitably drop, causing a sudden decrease in exhaust pressure and creating backpressure. At this point, water can be sucked back into the exhaust pipe, leading to poor exhaust and causing the engine to stall.
