Sinking Car - how to escape?

[HughS47]

This got me thinking:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-2383155...

If, for whatever reason, you found yourself in a car that was sinking, what would be the best way to escape?

Potential problems:
1) water pressure holding the doors shut
2) electrics die - no window/sunroof power

so, do you kick the glass out? hold your breath then try the doors? Anyone have any experience in this?!

[James_N]

Top Gear did a test on this years ago:

Top Gear: Series 3, Episode 3

Using a swimming pool, Hammond showed the dangers of being in a car that is sinking in water; he demonstrated that you should open the car doors as soon as it strikes the water, rather than waiting for the car to fill with water and the pressure to equalise.

[Craigwww]

1. Keep your seatbelt on and open the car door

2. Wait for the car to fill completely before removing seatbelt and swimming out, otherwise the in-rush of water drags you out your seat and all over the car.

[TheTurbonator]

James_N said:

Top Gear did a test on this years ago:

Top Gear: Series 3, Episode 3

Using a swimming pool, Hammond showed the dangers of being in a car that is sinking in water; he demonstrated that you should open the car doors as soon as it strikes the water, rather than waiting for the car to fill with water and the pressure to equalise.

If you can't open the doors quick enough, I remember watching something that showed that you should open the windows as quick as possible, before the electrics cut out, and that opening the windows helps to equalise the pressure faster.

Mind you, if you're skinny enough, you could just swim through the open window.

Edited by TheTurbonator on Monday 26th August 07:42

[eybic]

On Mythbusters they waited until the pressure had equalised then opened the doors as they couldn't do it before so it seems if you don't do it immediately, you need to wait for the car to fill with water.

[RocketScience]

My actions would depend on the car I'm in at the time.

[anonymous-user]

Depends on many factors.......
How full the car is when you decide to bail,
How deep the floodwater is,
How easy it is to open to doors/windows.
Traditional thinking is to allow the interior to flood, then escape, which is all well and good unless the car has plunged in to proper deep water, in which case by the time the interior has filled with water and the pressure across the doors equalised, it could be several meters down and you'll drown anyway even if you do get out.
The basis for escaping a sinking car appears to be based on helicopter ditching drills, the big difference being is that an airframe is generally a bit more leaky than a car and thus fills as fast as it sinks, and the doors and windows are far easier/designed to jettison.
Didn't RoSPA change their advice to "Get out ASAP" following Top Gear's effort to drown Hamster?

[LincolnLovin]

One interesting problem - electric locks.

In the Saab the door locks engage as soon as you go over 10 mph, and can only be disengaged by removing the key or pressing a button. This is all fine and dandy until contact with water shorting the electrics meaning (I assume) that the door will not open.

I suspect this is an issue affecting a wide variety of cars.

[eybic]

LincolnLovin said:

One interesting problem - electric locks.

In the Saab the door locks engage as soon as you go over 10 mph, and can only be disengaged by removing the key or pressing a button. This is all fine and dandy until contact with water shorting the electrics meaning (I assume) that the door will not open.

I suspect this is an issue affecting a wide variety of cars.

My MINI locks automatically but the first pull on the door handle unlocks and the second pull opens the door, surely all cars need to have a manual override in case there's an issue with electrics?

[HaloGen8]

This assumes we're not driving a Caterham

[EddieFelson]

LincolnLovin said:

One interesting problem - electric locks.

In the Saab the door locks engage as soon as you go over 10 mph, and can only be disengaged by removing the key or pressing a button. This is all fine and dandy until contact with water shorting the electrics meaning (I assume) that the door will not open.

I suspect this is an issue affecting a wide variety of cars.

Most modern version unlock if you're in an accident. So it depends if you just roll into the water, or you hit it.

[jonah35]

Sorry to go ot but it looks like a man in a 4x4 with snorkel etc was trying to be fun with the kids and it didnt work out. Cant blame him for having fun and for the kids to want to do it but you need to be aware of the dangers.

[harrisp]

I've waded in my old disco with water over the bonnet (and got stuck with water over the bonnet) and the electric windows never stopped working even with the switches being slightly damp.

[kwak]

Have a window breaker in the glovebox or somewhere else you can access it easily. They only cost a couple of quid.

[Liokault]

Didnt Myth Busters do this and show that even fully submerged, electric windows still work.

If you wait for the car to fill so you can open the doors, you will probably drown as it takes ages and you cant open the doors until the car if really full (with windows closed).

So, either get out on impact with the water or open the windows, wait to fill then get out.

[storminnorman]

Modern electric switches seem to be pretty resilient, going by the amount of times I've left the windows open in the rain etc.
I'd still wager on having something hefty around to smash the window though.

That story reminds me of an incident somewhere in Lincs a few years back, chap in his disco w/kids put it into a river somehow. Don't think anyone survived. Terrifying

[zebra]

Save her! Save the Girl!

[HaloGen8]

Drive with the window down and elbow resting on the door.

This way a) you look cool b) you're ready in the event of plummeting into lake/river/sea/overly deep puddle.

[peter pan]

There was news footage of a car (Peugeot I think) which got caught in the underpass on the A127
Southend Road following the hevay rain. the car was underwater, but the hazard lights were still flashing on and off.

[kambites]

Surely a car wont sink until it'a mostly full anyway? Each tonne of mass displaces a cubic meter of water and the average interior volume must be a good few cubic meters. I'd have thought you'd have plenty of time to get out of the window.