Do’s & Don’ts: Stay Safe Driving Through Water

Driving on flooded roads is never a good idea. The safest way to drive through water is to avoid it whenever possible. If you’re driving and encounter floodwater on the road, turn around if you can safely do so and take another route.

However, we know that isn’t always possible. Below are our best safety tips on how to stay safe while you’re driving through water or unexpectedly encounter flooding on the road.

Only Drive In Shallow Water

Never try to cross water that rises above the center of your car’s wheels, including puddles. A small amount of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle at any speed, so deeper water is incredibly unsafe.

Drive Down The Center Of The Road

When you’re at risk on the road during flood conditions, carefully take in your surroundings and drive down the center of the road if it’s safe to do so. Water tends to be shallower in the center and flow to the edges of the road.

Take It Slow Driving Through Water

It might be tempting to speed up and try to power through standing water on the road. That’s the opposite of what you want to do, make sure you keep your speed extremely low (1-4 mph) to avoid flooding your engine.

Avoid Power Lines

If power lines have fallen into a flooded area of the road, avoid driving through water. Electric currents pass easily through water and could short out your car’s electrical system or cause more serious damage.

Don’t Swerve

While you’re driving through water, keep your car steady and tires pointed in the direction you want to go. Don’t make any big adjustments and if you need to slightly shift your wheels, turn your steering wheel gently to avoid skidding.

Test Your Brakes

Once you’ve made it through water on the road, it’s important to make sure your brakes are working properly. Try braking smoothly at low speeds once your car is completely out of the flooded area of the road.

If you notice a sponginess or delay in your brakes, give us a call and have one of our expert mechanics inspect your vehicle’s braking system!

If Your Car Stalls Driving Through Water

If your vehicle stalls as you’re trying to cross standing water on the road, immediately evacuate the vehicle and move to higher ground. If you aren’t able to get out safely, call 911 immediately and try to get the attention of those around you for assistance.

Don’t try to restart your vehicle! Trying to restart your engine while stalled in water can cause extreme damage to your car.

We’re Here To Help

Six inches of water is deep enough to touch the bottom of most passenger vehicles. This can cause flooding in your car’s exhaust system and potentially immobilize your vehicle. If you can’t safely walk through water, don’t drive across it!

If your car has been damaged by flooding, we’re here to help! We’re proud to be your local full-service car repair and maintenance shop with two convenient locations in Warsaw.

We also have free pick-up available with our Boggs Driver service for oil changes and preventative maintenance.

No appointment is necessary for oil changes at Boggs Pit Stop, but if you’d like to schedule an oil change or any other car repair or maintenance services at Boggs Automotive, click below to give us a call.