In recent years the UK has seen an unprecedented amount of rainfall that has caused significant disruption, damage to homes and much more!

We all too often see in the news the devastating effects the floods are causing, and how people are sadly being flooded time after time. However, there does not appear to be much advice on how to drive safely in floods – so we have come up with a few essential tips to help keep you safe whist driving in the floods.

Flood Facts:

1. 30cm of fast flowing water is enough to move the average family car
2. 10cm of fast flowing water can knock you off your feet
3. 60cm of standing water can float a car

This short video from GEM provides some great tips and advice.

Tips for Driving in Floods The Essential Points:

First of all it is important to know the differences between certain types of floods:

  1. Flash Floods Flash flooding can occur after significant rainfall in a short period of time. Flash flooding can occur when the surrounding area is saturated, or alternatively very dry and has poor water absorption abilities. Flash floods are very dangerous as they can occur very quickly with little notice.
  1. Costal Floods As the name suggests, a costal flood occurs when an area becomes flooded with seawater.
  1. River Floods When a river bursts its banks and floods.
  1. Urban Floods Due to the nature of urban areas floods can quickly occur due to the extensive use of concrete and tarmac. As these surfaces are non-permeable flooding can quickly occur. Although not generally as severe as other floods, they can still cause significant disruption.

Our 10 Top Tips:

  1. Avoid Fast Flowing Water Never drive through fast flowing water. Although your car is heavy the force of the water can be huge and can in some circumstances wash your car away. 30cm of fast flowing water is enough to move the average family car.
  1. How Deep? If you don’t know how deep the water is, do not drive in to find out. Even if your car can cover the flood, if your engine sucks in water it can destroy it immediately.

A car can suck water into the engine via the air filter housing. Cars that have an air filter housing located low down (typically below the number plate) are particularly at risk.

  1. Ford Warning Although fords allow you to drive through a stream of water in relative safety, there is no guarantee that during floods a ford is still safe. Always check depth gauges at fords. Some fords have barriers, which close the ford during floods but not all have this so beware.
  1. Drive Slowly Drive slowly through water (no more than 5 mph) to avoid creating an unnecessarily large wave of water, and to also avoid splashes, spray, aquaplaning and skidding.
  1. Keep Your Distance Do not get too close to the vehicle in front.
  1. Keep Engine Revs High Ensure you keep the engine revs high to avoid water entering the exhaust, as this can stall the engine. Keeping the engine revs high can be done by depressing the clutch slightly to increase the engine speed whilst maintaining forward progress.

Do not over rev the engine between 3,000 rpm and 5,000 rpm is fine depending on your engine type.

  1. Get High If you drive through flooded roads try and get to the highest point in the road. This is often towards the centre due to the drainage design of roads. Be careful of oncoming traffic if you’re doing this.
  1. Your Brakes Apply your brakes moderately after driving through water. Do this as soon as it is safe to do so. Ensure you apply them for at least 3 seconds if it is safe to do so. Doing this helps clear water from your discs and brake pads. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the brakes biting as they normally do.
  1. Breakdown If you breakdown in the middle of floodwater stay in the car, you are much more likely to be swept away on foot than a car is! Remember to apply your hazard warning lights. Contact the emergency services if you are in significant danger by dialling 999. Contact a breakdown and recovery company such as AA or RAC once you have addressed your own safety first.
  1. Do You Need to Drive? Ask yourself is it really vital to drive? If not then leave it until the flooding has abated. This is especially important when there have been flash floods, which can appear and disappear in a relatively short period of time.

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