With Hurricane Season Fast Approaching It's Not Just The High Winds You Need To Worry About
Survey shows people make poor choices when driving through high waters brought on by hurricanes
MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — June 2, 2003 —Meteorologists are predicting an especially bad hurricane season, calling for as many as eight hurricanes and 12 named tropical storms. While everyone is aware of the damage high winds and the storm surge can cause, you might be surprised to know that according to the National Hurricane Center, inland flooding has accounted for more than half of all hurricane deaths in the past 30 years. One quarter of those deaths resulted from people drowning in their cars.
As deadly as inland flooding is, and as much damage as it can cause to people and their vehicles, Progressive (NYSE: PGR), one of the nation's largest auto insurance groups, found in a recent survey of more than 1,000 people that many people still don't practice safe driving habits when the water begins to rise.
- Ninety-two (92) percent admit to having driven through deep water.
- Nearly 20 percent think it would take at least three feet of water to cause a car to float away (only two feet of water can cause a car to float and, when this happens, the driver loses all control and can be swept away by the water).
- Only 36 percent would choose to move to higher ground if their car were to stall while passing though deep water.
- A quarter would remain in a stranded car to wait for help and not attempt to restart the engine (though restarting may result in permanent damage to the engine, it is sometimes an option for getting to safety in desperate conditions).
"When a hurricane hits and the water starts rising, people sometimes make decisions that can put them in danger," said Juan Andrade, Claims General Manager, Gulf region. "According to our survey, an overwhelming number of drivers admit to having driven through deep water. We want to make sure people are aware of the risks to themselves and to their vehicles so that they can make more informed decisions."
Progressive wants people to understand inland flooding poses serious dangers to you and your vehicle and offers these tips for staying safe.
- Avoid driving through standing water.
- When you're evacuating or returning following a storm, stay away from standing water on roads and in parking lots.
- Take an alternate route. Water covered roads are prone to collapse.
- If no alternate route exists and you have no other reasonable alternative but to drive through standing water.
- Do your best to estimate the depth of the water (if other cars are driving through, take note of how deep the water is).
- Drive SLOWLY and STEADILY through the water.
- Once you and your vehicle are out of deep water and are in a safe area, depress your brakes slowly to dry them.
- If your vehicle stalls in the deep water, you may need to restart the engine to make it to safety (know, however, that restarting may cause irreparable damage to the engine).
- If you can't restart your vehicle and you become trapped in rising water, IMMEDIATELY ABANDON FOR HIGHER GROUND. If you are unable to get out of the vehicle safely, call 911.
- If your unattended vehicle becomes trapped in water that has covered the engine, don't attempt to get in or start the engine.
- If you're evacuating an area and are leaving a vehicle behind, be sure it's not left in a low-lying area prone to flooding.
The Progressive group of insurance companies, in business since 1937, comprises the nation's third largest auto insurance group and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person service. The companies offer insurance by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, online at progressive.com and through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies. The Progressive Corporation, the holding company, has headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio. More information can be found at progressive.com.
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Did You Know...
According to a national phone survey of more than 1,000 drivers conducted on May 13, 2003.
General
Everyone Is Doing It
Ninety-two (92) percent of drivers admit to driving their vehicle through deep water.
Clueless
Twenty (20) percent of drivers thought that water would need to be three feet or more for it to float a vehicle and carry it away (actually two feet is enough to float a vehicle).
How Do I Get Out Of this?
Thirty-six (36) percent of drivers said they would get out and walk to higher ground if their vehicle stalled while driving in deep water. Nine (9) percent said they would try to re-start the vehicle. While both are options for getting to safety and drivers need to make their own decisions if in this situation, know that re-starting an engine while submerged in water may cause irreparable damage.
Demographics
Men Take More Chances
Men were more likely than women to run the risk of driving through deep water (95 percent versus 89 percent, respectively).
Men And Women React Differently When Stranded
Men (38 percent) were slightly more likely than women (33 percent) to get out and walk to higher ground if their vehicle stalled while driving in deep water. Nineteen (19) percent of women would call someone on their cell phone for help compared to only 13 percent of men.
Young And Daring
rivers between the ages of 25 and 34 years old were more likely than those over the age of 55 to drive through deep water (96 percent versus 89 percent, respectively).
Where You Live Can Affect Your Thinking
Drivers living in the northeast and western areas of the country (tied at 24 percent) were the most likely to think that water would need to be three feet or more for it to float a vehicle and carry it away, compared to 20 percent of drivers living in the south and 15 percent of drivers living in the north central area of the country.
*Region definitions: Northeast = Me., N.H., Vt., Mass., R.I., Conn., N.Y., Pa., N.J. North Central = Ohio, Ind., Ill., Mich., Wisc., Minn., Iowa, Mo., N.D., S. D., Neb., Kan. South = Del., Md., D.C., Va., W. Va., N.C., S.C., Ga., Fla., Ky. Ala., Miss., Tenn., Ark., La., Okla.,Texas West = Mont., Idaho, Wyo., Colo., N.M., Ariz., Utah, Nev., Calif., Ore., Wash.
