Article reprinted from https://www.blitzify.com/blog/2016/06/24/road-flooded-dont-drive/
Floods
can happen anywhere. Even places you wouldn’t expect can become flooded
if conditions are right. In recent months, Texas has been particularly
hard-hit with major flooding in both Dallas and Houston. Now West
Virginia is seeing some terrible flooding. Whether it’s heavy rain or
the aftermath of a hurricane, no matter what city you live in the
effects of a flood can be damaging!
While
flooding is dangerous in any location, it can be particularly deadly
when it occurs on roadways. Drivers often underestimate the depth of the
water and how little it takes to completely sweep away a vehicle (even a
large truck).
Don’t believe us? Check out these videos of recent floods:
If those videos weren’t enough, here are 6 reasons why you should never drive through flooded roads.
There may not be a road
Flood
waters from a swollen river can have a very powerful current and can
wash away entire swaths of road. This damage can be hidden from view
under just a few inches of water and can mean the difference between
making it to the other side and being stuck in fast-moving flood waters
with a car that won’t work. What’s more, it could mean your life as the
soft ground under the water could cause your car to begin sinking.
It doesn’t take much for your tires to lose traction
Tires
are designed to maintain traction only on rain-covered roadways. As
little as an inch can cause the tires to lose traction completely. That
means your tires could begin to spin and that there’s next to nothing
keeping your car from being swept away. And while cars are very heavy,
many can begin to float in one foot of water. Couple that with the loss
of traction, and you’ve got nowhere to go.
It doesn’t take much to damage your car
Even
if the water is less than a foot deep, the potential for significant
damage to your car still exists. On most passenger cars, six inches of
water is enough to threaten your car’s exhaust system and air intake.
Once water gets in there, your car can stall and become irreparably
damaged. Is it worth the thousands of dollars it would take to replace a
busted engine or buy a new car just to save a minute or two? Don’t
drive through a flooded road. Turn around and find another way to get to
your destination.
Two feet can carry you away
Two
feet of water may not seem like much and, if it’s not moving water, you
might be able to make it through if your vehicle is high enough (though
we don’t recommend it). But if the water is moving, stay away! Those
two feet of water can sweep away pretty much any vehicle regardless of
size and drivetrain (see first video above). Four-wheel drive isn’t
going to do much good if your car has lost all traction and is now
floating, even just an eighth-of-an-inch above the surface of the road.
Once your vehicle has lost contact with the road, it’s at the mercy of
the current.
Danger often lies beside a flooded road
That
moving water on the road might not be very deep and it might not be
moving very fast, but think about where it’s going for a moment.
Remember that it doesn’t take much for moving water to get your car
going somewhere that you don’t want it to be. Roads sometimes run beside
creeks, ditches, and even drainage gullies that can swallow your car
completely. If you can’t escape in time, you could find yourself trapped
in a sinking car. Now, more than a few thousand dollars is at stake –
it may mean your life!
About Blitzify
Blitzify
is a new mobile application that connects customers and automotive
service providers through a comprehensive and innovative mobile platform
that is changing the way people buy and sell
automotive
services. The app merges data from local market research, information
from service providers, special offers, testimonials and ratings and
reviews from customers into a user-friendly interface giving the user
out-the-door, real time price comparisons. For more information, visit www.blitzify.com.
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