What to do if you get caught in a flood while driving

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Last week’s heavy rainfall in Montreal left some drivers stranded on flooded highways for hours — a conundrum that many may face in the future as extreme weather becomes more frequent as a result of climate change.

Drivers should try to avoid travel if they can when such weather is forecasted, but for those who find themselves stranded, there are some things you should and shouldn’t do, according to CAA-Québec.

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“Keep in mind that significant quantities of water like this, our cars aren’t made to go through them,” spokesperson David Marcille said. “When there are meteorological alerts, try to rethink travel. Can we go later? Can we avoid going out?”

It was the wettest July 10 on record in Montreal, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, with some parts of the city receiving up to 100 millimetres of rain in a couple of hours. Several stretches of highways were closed while the storm unfolded.

The next day, the city of Montreal said its sewer system isn’t equipped to handle such intense downpours.

Less than a week later, a heavy downpour paralyzed Toronto.

ECCC meteorologist Simon Legault said these events will only become more frequent, as they are one of the main changes observed in relation to climate change.

“People often think of tornadoes and all that, but there’s a lot more confidence on significant, localized precipitation,” he said. “It’s a risk that’s more present and that will be more present.”

Here are some tips on driving during flash floods and what to do if you get caught:

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If you’re on the road in the middle of a heavy downpour, the main thing to avoid is attempting to drive through large puddles because they could be a lot deeper than you think, Marcille said.

“Between both sides, there could be surprises,” he said. “There could be a height difference, a road deformation, in a way that could become very deep and submerge the car. The water can rise very quickly.”

That can be counterintuitive in some cases, Marcille acknowledged, but he stressed that it’s best to find a way to safely detour around a pool of water rather than risk getting stuck.

“There’s almost a social pressure to go, but at the same time, it’s important to be safe,” he said.

If you do end up driving into — or finding yourself stuck in — a significant amount of water, turn off the motor, Marcille said.

“Though, it’s very probable the motor will turn off on its own because it will have sucked in water, so it will choke,” he said. “Then, it’s a good idea to turn on your hazard lights and get out of the car if it’s possible and safe to do it.”

If the door won’t open because of the water pressure, Marcille said to exit through the window, even if you have to break it to do so.

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“The second you see water coming into the car, it’s a good idea to get out because we don’t know up until where it will rise and we don’t know when it will drain,” he said. “You can go on the roof and wait for rescue.”

Don’t try to push your car or walk around it.

“We don’t know what’s under the water,” Marcille said, adding that there could be a risk of electrocution. “It’s a lot more safe to wait on top of the car.”

Legault reiterated most of the same tips, while adding that if there’s enough of a current, even just 15 centimetres of water could displace a vehicle.

“It could have consequences we don’t expect,” he said.

Once the storm calms and the water drains, your instinct may be to try to turn on your car and drive home, but you should actually have it towed, Marcille said, because the water will have caused damage that may not be immediately noticeable — even if the car turns on.

If the water has risen to halfway up the wheels, the incident must be declared to insurance, Marcille added, as a lot of electrical components are located beneath the vehicle.

“In many cases the car will be … total loss,” Marcille said.

He added that CAA-Québec, for the most part, does not provide towing services in emergency situations. Instead, he said these situations are usually co-ordinated by emergency services and insurance companies.

The Montreal fire department added that if you’re unsure what to do in a situation like the one in Montreal last week, the best thing would be to remain calm and call 911.

“Carefully follow the instructions that will be given by emergency personnel,” the department said.

kthomas@postmedia.com

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