Why Can't Car Doors Be Opened After Submerging in Water?
2 Answers
Most cars on the market have excellent sealing, with windows and seals isolating the interior from the exterior. When a car submerges in water, due to its high sealing performance, water cannot quickly enter the vehicle. Under the pressure of water, a pressure difference forms between the inside and outside of the car, causing the water pressure to tightly "fix" the doors, making them difficult to open at this moment. Here are some escape methods when a car submerges in water: 1. Opening doors or windows to escape: Cars have certain sealing capabilities. Once a car is submerged, the first thing to do is to immediately unbuckle the seatbelt, then activate the electronic central locking system to prevent door circuit failure. While there is still power (most car windows are electric), release the safety lock and quickly roll down the window to escape. 2. Keep your face upward after exiting the car: Non-swimmers should try to find floating objects to hold onto before breaking the window, ensuring they can float to the surface as much as possible after breaking the window. 3. Some models of certain brands have an escape pull ring designed in the trunk: Fold down the rear seats, climb into the trunk, and pull the ring to open the trunk for escape.
Having driven a taxi for over twenty years, my deepest realization is that car doors won't open mainly due to water pressure difference. When a car first submerges, the external water level is higher, meaning each door is pressed by about half a ton of force—even a grown man pushing with all his strength can't budge it. Electronic locks are even less reliable at this point; once submerged, the central control system fails instantly, just like a phone dropped in a toilet. The most reliable method is to use a safety hammer to smash the corners of the window while the water hasn't yet risen above it, or to remove the headrest and use its metal rods to pry the window open. Those who claim you can open the door once the car fills with water are textbook wrong—by that time, you'd have already passed out from lack of air.
