Turn Around Don't Drown Safety Tips for Navigating Flooded Roadways

6/28/2022 (Permalink)

Summertime is here and for us here in the Northeast we get our summer often end of day storms.   They bring high winds and are quick fierce storms that often don’t last more than an hour at a time.  

These Summer storms often dump several inches of water in a short amount of time.   They also seem to happen around 5:00 pm, just as rush hour is in its full glory.  

Here in the White Plains/Westchester County area we have several small rivers that run along parkways.   They are often no wider than 10 feet but are known to overflow and cause flooding on the parkways quickly. Often sections of these parkways are closed due to flooding. 

  The county and local police have seen their share of tragedies from people driving through flooded roads and have offered up some tips and rules.  

TADD- The universal acronym for Turn Around Don’t Drown.    

 It’s never a good idea to drive on flooded roadways even when you’re caught unexpectedly in the middle of a trip. If you encounter floodwaters on the road ahead, turn around – don’t drown.  

Unpredictable and quick moving storms can cause flooded roads and put you in a dangerous situation before you can safely get off the road.   If you find yourself driving through water here are some tips to help navigate your way to safety.  

Drive Down the Center- What part of the road is the safest to drive on during flood conditions? Forget about lanes and drive down the center. The water tends to be most shallow at the center of the road. 

Take Turns with Other Cars - Creating a single lane behind other drivers is safer than passing by and splashing water onto passing vehicles. The vehicle in front of you can help move water out of the way so you have a little better traction. Plus, stress is already running high when the roads are wet, there’s no need to add extra frustration to the mix by blasting past people. 

Only Cross When the Water is Extremely Shallow 

Only about ½ inch of water at any speed can cause you to lose control - badly. Never try and cross water that rises above the center of your wheels. That includes large puddles.  

Drive Slowly -The last thing you want to do is drive fast over watery roads. If you do have to cross water on the road enter at 1-2mph then drive at 3-4mph to avoid engine flooding. 

Drive in Low Gear -Drive in low gear to protect the car. If you’re driving an automatic vehicle, keep the speed low enough to stay in first or second gear. Keep your foot on the gas and use the brake to regulate speed. 

Best bet is to stay out of moving water. Period. Many people have been put in life threatening situations after thinking they could drive through water that was moving.  

Even larger vehicles, pickup trucks, SUVs and jeeps need to exercise caution.  If your vehicle cannot cross a stream on a good day, you should not attempt to drive through moving water.  Less than one foot of water will float your vehicle. Two feet can sweep most vehicles away even a heavy, lifted pickup truck.  

Turn around and wait it out or find an alternative route.    

SERVPRO of White Plains hopes you will take care driving this summer and remember our safe driving water tips.