How to keep yourself and your vehicle safe in flash flood

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• What Ga., S.C. agencies want you to know
• Local Red Cross is ready to offer assistance
• What you should know about power outages ahead of Helene
• Things you should know about hurricanes and tropical storms

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Despite the fact Georgia is currently in a drought, flash floods can develop slowly or quickly, and come with no warning.

According to data from the Federal Highway istration, 75% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on wet pavement and 47% happen during rainfall each year.

“Though strongly discouraged, if you must get behind the wheel during the storm, it is very important to adjust your typical driving style,” said Montrae Waiters, spokesperson for AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Whether it’s during or after the storm, if you see a flooded street, don’t drive through it. Taking a gamble on a waterlogged street is a no-go; you can’t tell how deep the water is or what’s hiding underneath it.”

With as little as a half-inch of water on the road, tires must displace a gallon of water per second to keep the rubber meeting the road, the AAA said. Drivers should reduce their speed to correspond to the amount of water on the roadway. At speeds as low as 35 mph, new tires can still lose some with the roadway.

Just six inches of moving water can knock a person down, and one foot of moving water can sweep away a vehicle.

Other safe driving tips during heavy rains and winds:

• Turn on your headlights to help you see better, and to allow other motorists to spot you better. Avoid using high beams because you could blind other drivers, and the extra light will reflect off the rain.
• Avoid standing water and flooded roads at all times. There is no way to tell how deep standing water is on a flooded road and driving through it can cause a vehicle to stall and result in severe damage to the vehicle from flooding the engine; warping brake rotors; loss of power steering; and a short in electrical components.
• If your vehicle stalls in a flooded area, do not remain in the car. Abandon it as soon as possible and seek higher ground.
• Stay with your vehicle if you get stranded. If the engine can be started, run it only long enough to keep warm.
• Get on your car’s roof if water is rising inside the car.
• If traffic signal lights are not working due to power failure, you must stop at the intersection, and then proceed when you know other turning and approaching vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians have stopped. A blacked-out traffic signal works the same as a four-way stop.

Be prepared

• Build an emergency kit: Ensure you have enough food, water, medications, and other necessities to last at least 72 hours.
• Clear gutters and drains: Make sure to clear your gutters and storm drains of debris to prevent water accumulation and reduce the risk of flooding around your home.
• Secure outdoor items: Store or secure outdoor furniture, garden tools, and toys. High winds can turn these objects into dangerous projectiles.
• Stay informed: Monitor local weather forecasts and stay informed about the developments of the storm. Have several ways to get emergency information.

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