How To Safely Escape A Vehicle Submerged In The Water

Getting trapped in a submerged vehicle would be utterly terrifying. While rare, it does happen.

In fact, 300 people die each year due to drowning in a sinking car. For decades, it was recommended to let the car fill with water, then open the door and swim out. However, experts now recommend an entirely different approach.

Watch the video below:

ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos

The new technique is being called the “stop, drop, and roll” for submerged vehicles. There are four steps to the process.

1. SEAT BELT:  Unbuckle your seat belt.
2. WINDOWS: Roll down your window.
3. CHILDREN:  Unbuckle any children from the back seat and grab them.
4. OUT:  Dive out of the open window into the water outside.

Experts say there is about a one-minute period while the car is floating, which should give you time to follow the above steps. Skip trying to make a quick emergency call on your phone. You only have about one minute to get you and your family out of the car and should be focussing on the above steps.

If you can’t get the window down, its recommended to have a window breaker (like this one) that can quickly shatter your car window.