Protect people at risk: Water survival guidance for people in road vehicles

This control measure should be read in conjunction with:

• Protect people at risk: Survival guidance

• Protect people at risk: Water survival guidance

• Protect people at risk: Water survival guidance for people in moving water

 

Prepare to exit

If both the road vehicle and water are stable, it could be safer for people at risk to remain in the vehicle and await rescue, however stability may not be retained. It is likely that if water conditions change, the vehicle may become buoyant or fill with water. Therefore, it is important to ensure people are ready to exit the vehicle if required.

To maintain the stability of the vehicle it may be advisable for children to remain in their seats. Consideration should be given to unfastening seatbelts and safety harnesses so that there is not a delay in exiting the vehicle if necessary. In case vehicle safety systems activate, people should be advised to keep away from airbags if possible. This may be achieved by removing seatbelts and moving seats away from the dashboard. Where vehicles have electric seat systems, these may malfunction if affected by water and may cause people to become trapped. Where possible people should be advised to move the seat away from the dashboard as soon as possible to minimise this risk. This advice will also assist with the rescue of people and should be given in all circumstances.

Water can affect other electrics in the vehicle, such as windows and sunroofs. Opening windows or sunroofs as early as possible will ensure that they are ready to use as an exit if required. Opening windows may allow cold air and water into the vehicle, so before giving this advice careful consideration should be given to the:

• Position of the vehicle in relation to the direction of the water flow; if the vehicle is side-on to the current, the windows that are facing downstream (the direction the water is flowing towards) should be opened
• Ability of people to exit the vehicle; if people are unable to exit the vehicle, the risks of opening the window may outweigh any benefits
• Depth of water

Rear windows in vehicles may be difficult to use as an exit, due to the size of the window and the opening mechanisms. If people in the rear of the vehicle may need to exit through the front windows, head restraints on the front seats may restrict their route. Removing head restraints will remove this obstruction and they can be used to break a window if necessary.

If possible, people should be told to prepare any items that can be used as buoyancy aids, such as child car seats.

Stabilise the vehicle

Applying the handbrake and turning the vehicle ignition off can assist in stabilising a vehicle in water. When advising people to turn off the vehicle ignition to isolate the power of the vehicle, it is important to ensure they have taken all relevant action to prepare for exit, such as opening electric windows or sunroofs.

Movement in the vehicle may affect its stability, as weight distribution moves inside it. People should remain in their seats unless advised otherwise and restrain animals if safe to do so.

Avoid water within the vehicle

Water is likely to enter the vehicle through the door seals and start to fill the footwell in the vehicle. Lifting feet out of the water and onto the seat will allow people to keep away from the water in the vehicle for longer.

If it is believed that an electric vehicle has sustained damage to its high voltage systems, it is imperative that people keep away from the water in the vehicle.

Unstable conditions

When a vehicle is unstable it is likely to begin to submerge or move with the flow of the water. Unstable water conditions may be due to rising water levels and increased speed of water flow.

Exit the vehicle

In unstable conditions it is likely that people will be safer to exit the vehicle. There are circumstances where people at risk will need to be advised to exit the vehicle; this may be due to:

• The vehicle being swept away with the water
• The vehicle beginning to submerge
• An increase in water levels in the vehicle

It is likely that when exiting the vehicle, people will be entering an open body of water or climbing onto the roof of the vehicle. However, if the vehicle has overturned, the upper surface of the vehicle could be the floorpan or side.

Before advising people to exit the vehicle, consider:

• The speed of water flow
• The depth of the water
• The weather conditions
• The likely temperature of the water
• The physical ability of people to exit into the water or the upper surface of the vehicle

The pressure of water outside of the vehicle may prevent doors from being opened, in which case people will need to exit the vehicle through a window or sunroof.

Depending on the water levels outside the vehicle, opening a door or window is likely to cause an increase in water entering the vehicle; people should be prepared for this to occur.

If it is not possible to open the doors, windows or sunroofs, a window can be broken. Side windows are usually weaker and can be broken using a firm hard blow in the corner using a ’life hammer’, heavy object or the metal part of a head restraint. Any remaining glass should be removed or covered where possible to prevent injury.

If there are multiple people in the vehicle, consideration should be taken to assisting others to leave the vehicle. Children should be assisted to leave the vehicle first, ideally being passed to a person outside of the vehicle.

If a vehicle has entered deep water, such as a lake or a quarry, or is in rising tidal waters, people should be advised to exit into the water and not onto the upper surface of the vehicle.

When exiting a vehicle, people should take any buoyancy aids, such as child seats, with them if possible; these may assist people if they need to stay in the water.

Exit onto the upper surface of the vehicle

If the water level is rising inside the vehicle, consideration should be given to advising the occupants to get onto the upper surface of the vehicle and await rescue. Before providing this advice, fire control personnel should consider:

• That the surface of the vehicle is likely to be extremely slippery, which may lead to people falling into the water
• That movement of people in or exiting the vehicle may affect its stability

If the vehicle is upright and people are exiting the vehicle onto the roof, a sunroof may be the safest route. If this is not possible, people should use a door or window to exit the vehicle.

If the vehicle is side-on to the flow of the water, people should be advised to exit the vehicle by windows or doors which are facing downstream.

To assist in maintaining the direction of the vehicle, people should be advised to remain at the opposite end of the vehicle to the engine compartment, which will help to counteract the weight of the engine. If there are multiple people in the vehicle, consideration should be taken to distribute their weight evenly.

Once on the upper surface of the vehicle, people should be advised to remain in place unless otherwise advised. If the vehicle becomes unstable while people are on its upper surface, they should consider entering the water or reaching for a tree branch or similar.

Exit into the water

There may be occasions when people will be required to exit the vehicle into open water; this may be due to:

• The vehicle becoming buoyant and moving
• The vehicle beginning to submerge or there is a risk of this happening

When advising people to exit into open water, it is important to provide advice on exiting the vehicle as well as any survival guidance relating to the type of water they are entering.

If the flow of the water prevents doors being opened, people may need to exit the vehicle through a window.

If the vehicle is starting to submerge, or there is a risk of this happening, people should exit it at the earliest opportunity and wade or swim away from the vehicle.