how to escape a sinking car mythbusters

This is where a lot of people end up when they go into the water in a car because the engine compartment is heavier and the front of the car fills with water first.Using a window breaker is the best way to escape from a car that's underwater. ), Podcast #858: The Affectionate, Ambiguous, and Surprisingly Ambivalent Relationship Between Siblings, How to Fight Entitlement and Develop Gratitude in Your Kids, How and Why to Hold a Weekly Marriage Meeting, You Dont Have to Be Your Dad: How to Become Your Familys Transitional Character, Podcast #810: How to Turn a Boy Into a Man, Sunday Firesides: The Maturing Mirror of Marriage, Sunday Firesides: Climb the Ladder of Love, Podcast #875: Authority Is More Important Than Social Skills, Podcast #874: Throw a 2-Hour Cocktail Party That Can Change Your Life, 9 Mental Distortions That Are Sabotaging Your Social Life, Skill of the Week: Shuffle a Deck of Cards, Skill of the Week: Catch a Souvenir Baseball, Skill of the Week: Survive a Mountain Lion Encounter, 3 college softball players in North Dakota drowned, How to Escape a Sinking Car: An Illustrated Guide, How to Escape From the Trunk of a Car: An Illustrated Guide. If you have to swim to get out, do not kick your feet until youre clear of the caryou could injure other passengers. ", order to survive. Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman did their MythBusters episode in 2007. In 2017, she graduated with her PhD in Egyptology from The University of Chicago, where she served for several years as a content advisor and program facilitator for the Oriental Institute Museums Public Education office. Contrary to popular belief, Mythbusters found that automatic windows dont immediately short circuit underwater. When your car starts really sinking, the differential between the pressure outside the car and inside the car makes opening the door impossible. Additionally, a recent study revealed that door panels get jammed after 120 seconds. Step 2: WINDOWS: Open. Also, dont wait for water to get inside your vehicle because wet seatbelts are harder to cut. You'll start to feel the cold water coming in, and you may start to panic, but it's important to remain focused. . You dont have to know every detail, but remember these four words: Seatbelts. How to Escape a Sinking Car | HowStuffWorks If the waterline has not risen past the windows, try rolling down the window first. Step 4: OUT: Push any children out first, then follow. How to Get Out of a Sinking Car!.. HOW TO ESCAPE and SURVIVE Lets assume you dont have time to roll down the windows because your vehicle rolled over several times and landed inside water. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. We recommend having two or three window breakers in your car so that you always have one within reach. 3. Open their mouth by pulling down their chin. The former has a hardened steel tip while the latter has a spring loaded steel tip window punch, which allows you to break strongly tempered windows with the push of a button. I've often thought about what to do if I was ever in this situation. As you swim towards the victim, encourage them with inspiring words. Canadian TV host Rick Mercer finds out. Children are highly in tune with your body language. Place your hands at the 9 and 3 positions. How to Escape from a Sinking Car - Lifehacker Is it possible to break the car window underwater? Open all the windows near your passengers or break them open as the water flows in. I, "Having the knowledge of what to do if your vehicle goes into high water might save a life or many. Becoming a victim of bridge collapse is hardly the only way to end up in a submerged vehicle, however. The visibility inside deteriorates rapidly and this puts you at risk especially when youre trying to find your car rescue tool. Brett & Kate McKay November 10, 2009 Last updated: September 25, 2021. - Follow the rising air bubbles to the surface.You have to remember every second counts as youll only have about a minute to do what you should before the car sinks completely underwater. It's scary to think that one might collapse while you're driving over it, plunging your car into the water below. The process only takes about 30 seconds and it can mean the difference between life and death if you ever find yourself stuck in a sinking car. Watch more Driving \u0026 Car Safety videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/117114-How-to-Escape-a-Car-Sinking-in-Deep-WaterIt can happen in an instant: Your car ends up in the water, and its sinking fast. If there are children or other passengers in the car who may need help, dont worry about unbuckling them yet. Beyond that, opening a door will certainly cause immediate flooding. For starters, the doors wont open. What surprised me after reading the report is how frequently such accidents occur. When your car hits the water, secure your escape routes by rolling down your window especially if they are electric. Watch more Driving & Car Safety videos: http://www.howcast.com/videos/117114-How-to-Escape-a-Car-Sinking-in-Deep-WaterIt can happen in an instant: Your car e. You might also keep a seatbelt cutting tool on hand in case unbuckling the seatbelts is too difficult. Do glass safety hammers work under water or is it only possible to swing them in air to get enough force to break a window? This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Car Escape Tools So How Do You Escape a Sinking Car? Several months ago 2 cousins, just 19 years old, drowned when their car plunged into a pond. Stay calm. If the car is sinking quickly, open the door and escape through the window. Don't drive into flood water that's moving or more than 4 inches deep. 2. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. It is possible if you are patient, calm, and conserve your oxygen, but dont count on it. 44.8K subscribers 615 views 2 years ago Car accidents are frightening in general, let alone being trapped inside of a car that is slowly. If youre wearing jeans and you have time, remove those as well. If you can't open the door or window, find a sharp object to break the window. Hyperventilating and wasting your energy on ineffective actions closes off the easiest options of escape, wastes precious oxygen and shortens the amount of time youll be able to hold your breath when making an escape. The inside/outside pressure will eventually equalize, but it wont happen just as soon as the car fills up with water. Many drivers simply skid out around a curve, go over a guardrail, and end up in a body of water. Whiplash injuries might occur when a car veers off a road or bridge and lands in a large mass of water. Undo or cut your seatbelt. Its information youre not likely to use in your life, but, as with most survivalist endeavors the more you know! You can act fast by opening the sunroof while cutting the seatbelt. Brace yourself by firmly grasping the steering wheel. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. It's the one tool that you cannot live without. Safety Tips for Surviving an Auto Crash Involving a Vehicle Landing in They make it look so easy that you immediately believe its a method that works in real life. If you're driving the car, place both hands on the steering wheel in the "10 and 2" positions. How to escape a sinking car | Here's how to escape a - Facebook Can Adam Escape a Sinking Car? | MythBusters - YouTube This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. If the air bags go off (which they probably . Focus on getting yourself and your passengers out of the car. But what if you have passengers? The drowning victim feels overwhelmed with fear and this makes them sink. That means you will be located on side of the car tilted downward. If escaping through the window is not an option, then your last resort is to wait for the pressure . As water fills up, its also carrying soil and objects of varying sizes. Place your index and middle fingers at the center of your passengers neck then slide them sideways to the muscle until you feel a small depression. Next, place your mouth directly on top of theirs then blow deeply. Your first priority is getting everyone out of the sinking car, and the best way to do that is through the window. 5. The Easiest Way To Escape a Sinking Car - PrepForThat What if I have my dog in the car? In most cases, the survivor is still traumatized and this hinders their ability to make rational decisions. This position enables you to swim to safety without the passenger pulling your limbs. Your best chance of escape is the first 30-120 seconds. Thats why you need a rescue tool in your glove compartment. The windshield is also designed to be more difficult to break than the other windows. This is even the case with manual windows. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Youve also seen this in a couple of movies. Assessing the pulse rate enables you to determine whether you need to give chest compressions. Your job is to help them focus their attention on staying afloat. How to get out of a sinking car: 4 Simple Steps First of all, make sure you have a car emergency safety kit. Avoid becoming fish food by learning how to escape from a sinking vehicle before it happens. Next, make sure to memorize the following steps: There are two different scenarios when it comes to getting out of a car sinking in water. We did it 30 years before MythBusters. But you should still be able to swim out. Next, place the heel of your right hand then place your left hand on top while interlocking your fingers. There's no time to grab your belongings. This is the worst thing you could do. If your seatbelts seem jammed, youll need a sharp knife to cut through. Both weigh you down, making swimming to the surface more difficult. 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Fortunately, you and your passengers have a good chance of escaping from a sinking car if you stay calm and act quickly. But, do you really have to break the glass in order to swim to safety? As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). For . Why not the door you ask? How To Escape a Submerged Car Using Science - Popular Mechanics On surface level, it seems rational because it only takes a minute for water to fill up a car. % of people told us that this article helped them. Doing this prevents short-circuiting as you swim towards dry land. "We had time to try to unroll . Step 2: Break the windowIf you were unable to open your side window, break it with your elbow, heels, or -- better still -- anything pointy you have on hand, like a pen or screwdriver.