It's summer, it's hot and the predicted thunderstorms are flooding the streets. Newsreel footage shows cars, lorries and motorbikes ploughing through ludicrously deep water at crazy speeds and getting stuck.
It's the same in the winter, of course. But whatever the season, millions of pounds worth of unnecessary damage is done to cars, trucks, bikes and property because very few of us know when it's safe to drive through floodwater.
Surprisingly,
The Highway Code isn't much help. It gives advice on driving in icy and snowy weather, windy weather, fog and hot weather, and helpfully tells you that you should phone the police if your tyre gets a puncture on the motorway. But the only two oblique references to flooded roads are tucked away under advice on drying out brakes affected by water and slowing down gradually if you start to aquaplane.
The Department for Transport (DfT) THINK! Website is slightly more helpful, offering three useful tips. It's still not helpful enough, though.
Neither of them tells you what you really need to know. When it's safe, and when it isn't. What to go for, and what to avoid.
Colin O'Connell is Senior Examiner for DIAmond Advanced Motorists and DIAmond Advanced Motorcyclists. He has been involved in road safety and advanced driving techniques for more than 40 years.
"People haven't got a clue," he says. "They charge through deep floods at an incredible speed, thinking that the quicker they get through the less chance there is of stalling, because the bow wave they create will somehow create an air space and protect the engine. Bad move. What happens is that water gets forced or sucked into the engine and results in repair bills of several thousand pounds. And it's all down to ignorance.
"It's dangerous, too. Not just to themselves, but to other road users, pedestrians and property."
Here are Colin's top tips for driving safely through floods:
1. You really do need to know how deep the water is. Six inches (15cm) of rapidly moving floodwater can knock a person down. And many vehicles will float in two feet (60cm) of water or less.
2. If it's deeper than the bottom of your doors, think about turning round. The water may not look very deep, but an increase in depth of an inch or so may be enough to tip the balance and make the vehicle buoyant enough to float away.
3. If there are already a lot of abandoned vehicles up to their axles in water, take the hint. There's a good chance you won't make it either.
4. Even trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles, well known for the feeling of superiority and sense of security they give, can be swept away by moving water.
5. Even relatively low levels of water will damage some vehicles. If water is sucked into the engine air intake, which is often located at the front of the engine bay and can be especially low in some cars, it will cause serious damage. Catalytic converters, which work at high temperatures and are easily damaged by water the cold water makes them crack are also expensive to replace.
6. If you decide to take the risk and drive through a flood, provided it is completely safe to do so you should drive on the highest part of the road. If it is not possible to drive in the middle of the road, stay as far away as possible from the kerb, where the water is at its deepest.
7. Drive slowly and steadily; the bow wave you create at the front of the vehicle should be as small as possible.
8. Do not drive through a flood if there is another vehicle travelling from the opposite direction.
9. Drive through in first gear and keep the engine revs high. If necessary, slip the clutch slightly to increase engine speed. In a vehicle with an automatic gearbox, select the lowest gear and keep a steady pace. Do not back off the accelerator. Water in the exhaust can stall the engine.
10. Test your brakes as soon as you can after driving through any water. Make sure there's no one behind you, and then press gently on the brake pedal to check that they work. If they don't work properly, they can be dried by applying gentle pressure as you drive along. Left-foot braking is an acquired art, though, so be very cautious if you try this.
11. Driving at speed through low-level water can cause aquaplaning the water prevents your tyres from gripping the road, and you lose control of the steering. If this happens, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.
12. If you drive too fast through low water and soak pedestrians and cyclists, the police could prosecute you for driving without reasonable consideration to other road users. This can result in a fine of £2,500 and between three and nine penalty points on your licence.
DIAmond Advanced Motorists News Release - 10 Aug 2004
